diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/2147-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/2147-8.txt | 9226 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 9226 deletions
diff --git a/old/2147-8.txt b/old/2147-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 01d41e4..0000000 --- a/old/2147-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9226 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Volume 1 (of 5) of the Raven Edition - -Author: Edgar Allan Poe - -Release Date: May 19, 2008 [EBook #2147] -[Last updated: September 17, 2014] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE *** - - - - -Produced by David Widger and Carlo Traverso - - - - - - - - -THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE - -IN FIVE VOLUMES - - -The Raven Edition - - - - -VOLUME I - - -Contents: - - Edgar Allan Poe, An Appreciation - Life of Poe, by James Russell Lowell - Death of Poe, by N. P. Willis - The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaall - The Gold-Bug - Four Beasts in One - The Murders in the Rue Morgue - The Mystery of Marie Rogêt - The Balloon-Hoax - MS. Found in a Bottle - The Oval Portrait - - - - -EDGAR ALLAN POE - -AN APPRECIATION - - - Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster - Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-- - Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore - Of "never--never more!" - -THIS stanza from "The Raven" was recommended by James Russell Lowell as -an inscription upon the Baltimore monument which marks the resting place -of Edgar Allan Poe, the most interesting and original figure in American -letters. And, to signify that peculiar musical quality of Poe's genius -which inthralls every reader, Mr. Lowell suggested this additional -verse, from the "Haunted Palace": - - And all with pearl and ruby glowing - Was the fair palace door, - Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing, - And sparkling ever more, - A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty - Was but to sing, - In voices of surpassing beauty, - The wit and wisdom of their king. - - -Born in poverty at Boston, January 19, 1809, dying under painful -circumstances at Baltimore, October 7, 1849, his whole literary career -of scarcely fifteen years a pitiful struggle for mere subsistence, his -memory malignantly misrepresented by his earliest biographer, Griswold, -how completely has truth at last routed falsehood and how magnificently -has Poe come into his own. For "The Raven," first published in 1845, -and, within a few months, read, recited and parodied wherever the -English language was spoken, the half-starved poet received $10! Less -than a year later his brother poet, N. P. Willis, issued this touching -appeal to the admirers of genius on behalf of the neglected author, his -dying wife and her devoted mother, then living under very straitened -circumstances in a little cottage at Fordham, N. Y.: - -"Here is one of the finest scholars, one of the most original men of -genius, and one of the most industrious of the literary profession of -our country, whose temporary suspension of labor, from bodily illness, -drops him immediately to a level with the common objects of public -charity. There is no intermediate stopping-place, no respectful shelter, -where, with the delicacy due to genius and culture, he might secure -aid, till, with returning health, he would resume his labors, and his -unmortified sense of independence." - -And this was the tribute paid by the American public to the master who -had given to it such tales of conjuring charm, of witchery and mystery -as "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "Ligeia"; such fascinating -hoaxes as "The Unparalleled Adventure of Hans Pfaall," "MSS. Found in a -Bottle," "A Descent Into a Maelstrom" and "The Balloon-Hoax"; such tales -of conscience as "William Wilson," "The Black Cat" and "The Tell-tale -Heart," wherein the retributions of remorse are portrayed with an awful -fidelity; such tales of natural beauty as "The Island of the Fay" and -"The Domain of Arnheim"; such marvellous studies in ratiocination as the -"Gold-bug," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Purloined Letter" -and "The Mystery of Marie Roget," the latter, a recital of fact, -demonstrating the author's wonderful capability of correctly analyzing -the mysteries of the human mind; such tales of illusion and banter -as "The Premature Burial" and "The System of Dr. Tarr and Professor -Fether"; such bits of extravaganza as "The Devil in the Belfry" and "The -Angel of the Odd"; such tales of adventure as "The Narrative of Arthur -Gordon Pym"; such papers of keen criticism and review as won for Poe the -enthusiastic admiration of Charles Dickens, although they made him many -enemies among the over-puffed minor American writers so mercilessly -exposed by him; such poems of beauty and melody as "The Bells," "The -Haunted Palace," "Tamerlane," "The City in the Sea" and "The Raven." -What delight for the jaded senses of the reader is this enchanted domain -of wonder-pieces! What an atmosphere of beauty, music, color! What -resources of imagination, construction, analysis and absolute art! One -might almost sympathize with Sarah Helen Whitman, who, confessing to -a half faith in the old superstition of the significance of anagrams, -found, in the transposed letters of Edgar Poe's name, the words "a -God-peer." His mind, she says, was indeed a "Haunted Palace," echoing to -the footfalls of angels and demons. - -"No man," Poe himself wrote, "has recorded, no man has dared to record, -the wonders of his inner life." - -In these twentieth century days--of lavish recognition--artistic, -popular and material--of genius, what rewards might not a Poe claim! - -Edgar's father, a son of General David Poe, the American revolutionary -patriot and friend of Lafayette, had married Mrs. Hopkins, an English -actress, and, the match meeting with parental disapproval, had himself -taken to the stage as a profession. Notwithstanding Mrs. Poe's beauty -and talent the young couple had a sorry struggle for existence. When -Edgar, at the age of two years, was orphaned, the family was in the -utmost destitution. Apparently the future poet was to be cast upon the -world homeless and friendless. But fate decreed that a few glimmers of -sunshine were to illumine his life, for the little fellow was adopted -by John Allan, a wealthy merchant of Richmond, Va. A brother and sister, -the remaining children, were cared for by others. - -In his new home Edgar found all the luxury and advantages money could -provide. He was petted, spoiled and shown off to strangers. In Mrs. -Allan he found all the affection a childless wife could bestow. Mr. -Allan took much pride in the captivating, precocious lad. At the age of -five the boy recited, with fine effect, passages of English poetry to -the visitors at the Allan house. - -From his eighth to his thirteenth year he attended the Manor House -school, at Stoke-Newington, a suburb of London. It was the Rev. Dr. -Bransby, head of the school, whom Poe so quaintly portrayed in "William -Wilson." Returning to Richmond in 1820 Edgar was sent to the school -of Professor Joseph H. Clarke. He proved an apt pupil. Years afterward -Professor Clarke thus wrote: - -"While the other boys wrote mere mechanical verses, Poe wrote genuine -poetry; the boy was a born poet. As a scholar he was ambitious to -excel. He was remarkable for self-respect, without haughtiness. He had -a sensitive and tender heart and would do anything for a friend. His -nature was entirely free from selfishness." - -At the age of seventeen Poe entered the University of Virginia at -Charlottesville. He left that institution after one session. Official -records prove that he was not expelled. On the contrary, he gained -a creditable record as a student, although it is admitted that he -contracted debts and had "an ungovernable passion for card-playing." -These debts may have led to his quarrel with Mr. Allan which eventually -compelled him to make his own way in the world. - -Early in 1827 Poe made his first literary venture. He induced Calvin -Thomas, a poor and youthful printer, to publish a small volume of his -verses under the title "Tamerlane and Other Poems." In 1829 we find Poe -in Baltimore with another manuscript volume of verses, which was soon -published. Its title was "Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Other Poems." Neither -of these ventures seems to have attracted much attention. - -Soon after Mrs. Allan's death, which occurred in 1829, Poe, through -the aid of Mr. Allan, secured admission to the United States Military -Academy at West Point. Any glamour which may have attached to cadet life -in Poe's eyes was speedily lost, for discipline at West Point was never -so severe nor were the accommodations ever so poor. Poe's bent was -more and more toward literature. Life at the academy daily became -increasingly distasteful. Soon he began to purposely neglect his studies -and to disregard his duties, his aim being to secure his dismissal from -the United States service. In this he succeeded. On March 7, 1831, Poe -found himself free. Mr. Allan's second marriage had thrown the lad on -his own resources. His literary career was to begin. - -Poe's first genuine victory was won in 1833, when he was the successful -competitor for a prize of $100 offered by a Baltimore periodical for the -best prose story. "A MSS. Found in a Bottle" was the winning tale. Poe -had submitted six stories in a volume. "Our only difficulty," says Mr. -Latrobe, one of the judges, "was in selecting from the rich contents of -the volume." - -During the fifteen years of his literary life Poe was connected with -various newspapers and magazines in Richmond, Philadelphia and New York. -He was faithful, punctual, industrious, thorough. N. P. Willis, who for -some time employed Poe as critic and sub-editor on the "Evening Mirror," -wrote thus: - -"With the highest admiration for Poe's genius, and a willingness to -let it alone for more than ordinary irregularity, we were led by -common report to expect a very capricious attention to his duties, and -occasionally a scene of violence and difficulty. Time went on, -however, and he was invariably punctual and industrious. We saw but -one presentiment of the man-a quiet, patient, industrious and most -gentlemanly person. - -"We heard, from one who knew him well (what should be stated in all -mention of his lamentable irregularities), that with a single glass of -wine his whole nature was reversed, the demon became uppermost, and, -though none of the usual signs of intoxication were visible, his will -was palpably insane. In this reversed character, we repeat, it was never -our chance to meet him." - -On September 22, 1835, Poe married his cousin, Virginia Clemm, in -Baltimore. She had barely turned thirteen years, Poe himself was but -twenty-six. He then was a resident of Richmond and a regular contributor -to the "Southern Literary Messenger." It was not until a year later that -the bride and her widowed mother followed him thither. - -Poe's devotion to his child-wife was one of the most beautiful features -of his life. Many of his famous poetic productions were inspired by her -beauty and charm. Consumption had marked her for its victim, and the -constant efforts of husband and mother were to secure for her all the -comfort and happiness their slender means permitted. Virginia died -January 30, 1847, when but twenty-five years of age. A friend of the -family pictures the death-bed scene--mother and husband trying to impart -warmth to her by chafing her hands and her feet, while her pet cat was -suffered to nestle upon her bosom for the sake of added warmth. - -These verses from "Annabel Lee," written by Poe in 1849, the last year -of his life, tell of his sorrow at the loss of his child-wife: - - I was a child and _she_ was a child, - In a kingdom by the sea; - - But we loved with _a _love that was more than love-- - I and my Annabel Lee; - - With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven - Coveted her and me. - And this was the reason that, long ago; - In this kingdom by the sea. - A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling - My beautiful Annabel Lee; - - So that her high-born kinsmen came - And bore her away from me, - To shut her up in a sepulchre - In this kingdom by the sea, - - -Poe was connected at various times and in various capacities with the -"Southern Literary Messenger" in Richmond, Va.; "Graham's Magazine" and -the "Gentleman's Magazine" in Philadelphia; the "Evening Mirror," the -"Broadway Journal," and "Godey's Lady's Book" in New York. Everywhere -Poe's life was one of unremitting toil. No tales and poems were ever -produced at a greater cost of brain and spirit. - -Poe's initial salary with the "Southern Literary Messenger," to which -he contributed the first drafts of a number of his best-known tales, -was $10 a week! Two years later his salary was but $600 a year. Even in -1844, when his literary reputation was established securely, he wrote to -a friend expressing his pleasure because a magazine to which he was to -contribute had agreed to pay him $20 monthly for two pages of criticism. - -Those were discouraging times in American literature, but Poe never -lost faith. He was finally to triumph wherever pre-eminent talents win -admirers. His genius has had no better description than in this stanza -from William Winter's poem, read at the dedication exercises of the -Actors' Monument to Poe, May 4, 1885, in New York: - - He was the voice of beauty and of woe, - Passion and mystery and the dread unknown; - Pure as the mountains of perpetual snow, - Cold as the icy winds that round them moan, - Dark as the caves wherein earth's thunders groan, - Wild as the tempests of the upper sky, - Sweet as the faint, far-off celestial tone of angel - whispers, fluttering from on high, - And tender as love's tear when youth and beauty die. - - -In the two and a half score years that have elapsed since Poe's death -he has come fully into his own. For a while Griswold's malignant -misrepresentations colored the public estimate of Poe as man and as -writer. But, thanks to J. H. Ingram, W. F. Gill, Eugene Didier, Sarah -Helen Whitman and others these scandals have been dispelled and Poe is -seen as he actually was-not as a man without failings, it is true, but -as the finest and most original genius in American letters. As the -years go on his fame increases. His works have been translated into -many foreign languages. His is a household name in France and England-in -fact, the latter nation has often uttered the reproach that Poe's own -country has been slow to appreciate him. But that reproach, if it ever -was warranted, certainly is untrue. - - W. H. R. - - - - -EDGAR ALLAN POE - -By James Russell Lowell - - -THE situation of American literature is anomalous. It has no centre, or, -if it have, it is like that of the sphere of Hermes. It is divided -into many systems, each revolving round its several suns, and often -presenting to the rest only the faint glimmer of a milk-and-water way. -Our capital city, unlike London or Paris, is not a great central heart -from which life and vigor radiate to the extremities, but resembles more -an isolated umbilicus stuck down as near as may be to the centre of the -land, and seeming rather to tell a legend of former usefulness than to -serve any present need. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, each has its -literature almost more distinct than those of the different dialects -of Germany; and the Young Queen of the West has also one of her own, -of which some articulate rumor barely has reached us dwellers by the -Atlantic. - -Perhaps there is no task more difficult than the just criticism of -contemporary literature. It is even more grateful to give praise where -it is needed than where it is deserved, and friendship so often seduces -the iron stylus of justice into a vague flourish, that she writes what -seems rather like an epitaph than a criticism. Yet if praise be given -as an alms, we could not drop so poisonous a one into any man's hat. The -critic's ink may suffer equally from too large an infusion of nutgalls -or of sugar. But it is easier to be generous than to be just, and we -might readily put faith in that fabulous direction to the hiding place -of truth, did we judge from the amount of water which we usually find -mixed with it. - -Remarkable experiences are usually confined to the inner life of -imaginative men, but Mr. Poe's biography displays a vicissitude and -peculiarity of interest such as is rarely met with. The offspring of a -romantic marriage, and left an orphan at an early age, he was adopted -by Mr. Allan, a wealthy Virginian, whose barren marriage-bed seemed the -warranty of a large estate to the young poet. - -Having received a classical education in England, he returned home and -entered the University of Virginia, where, after an extravagant course, -followed by reformation at the last extremity, he was graduated with -the highest honors of his class. Then came a boyish attempt to join the -fortunes of the insurgent Greeks, which ended at St. Petersburg, where -he got into difficulties through want of a passport, from which he -was rescued by the American consul and sent home. He now entered the -military academy at West Point, from which he obtained a dismissal -on hearing of the birth of a son to his adopted father, by a second -marriage, an event which cut off his expectations as an heir. The death -of Mr. Allan, in whose will his name was not mentioned, soon after -relieved him of all doubt in this regard, and he committed himself at -once to authorship for a support. Previously to this, however, he had -published (in 1827) a small volume of poems, which soon ran through -three editions, and excited high expectations of its author's future -distinction in the minds of many competent judges. - -That no certain augury can be drawn from a poet's earliest lispings -there are instances enough to prove. Shakespeare's first poems, though -brimful of vigor and youth and picturesqueness, give but a very faint -promise of the directness, condensation and overflowing moral of his -maturer works. Perhaps, however, Shakespeare is hardly a case in -point, his "Venus and Adonis" having been published, we believe, in his -twenty-sixth year. Milton's Latin verses show tenderness, a fine eye for -nature, and a delicate appreciation of classic models, but give no hint -of the author of a new style in poetry. Pope's youthful pieces have -all the sing-song, wholly unrelieved by the glittering malignity -and eloquent irreligion of his later productions. Collins' callow -namby-pamby died and gave no sign of the vigorous and original genius -which he afterward displayed. We have never thought that the world lost -more in the "marvellous boy," Chatterton, than a very ingenious imitator -of obscure and antiquated dulness. Where he becomes original (as it is -called), the interest of ingenuity ceases and he becomes stupid. Kirke -White's promises were indorsed by the respectable name of Mr. Southey, -but surely with no authority from Apollo. They have the merit of a -traditional piety, which to our mind, if uttered at all, had been less -objectionable in the retired closet of a diary, and in the sober raiment -of prose. They do not clutch hold of the memory with the drowning -pertinacity of Watts; neither have they the interest of his occasional -simple, lucky beauty. Burns having fortunately been rescued by his -humble station from the contaminating society of the "Best models," -wrote well and naturally from the first. Had he been unfortunate enough -to have had an educated taste, we should have had a series of poems from -which, as from his letters, we could sift here and there a kernel from -the mass of chaff. Coleridge's youthful efforts give no promise whatever -of that poetical genius which produced at once the wildest, tenderest, -most original and most purely imaginative poems of modern times. Byron's -"Hours of Idleness" would never find a reader except from an intrepid -and indefatigable curiosity. In Wordsworth's first preludings there -is but a dim foreboding of the creator of an era. From Southey's early -poems, a safer augury might have been drawn. They show the patient -investigator, the close student of history, and the unwearied explorer -of the beauties of predecessors, but they give no assurances of a man -who should add aught to stock of household words, or to the rarer -and more sacred delights of the fireside or the arbor. The earliest -specimens of Shelley's poetic mind already, also, give tokens of that -ethereal sublimation in which the spirit seems to soar above the regions -of words, but leaves its body, the verse, to be entombed, without hope -of resurrection, in a mass of them. Cowley is generally instanced as a -wonder of precocity. But his early insipidities show only a capacity -for rhyming and for the metrical arrangement of certain conventional -combinations of words, a capacity wholly dependent on a delicate -physical organization, and an unhappy memory. An early poem is only -remarkable when it displays an effort of _reason, _and the rudest verses -in which we can trace some conception of the ends of poetry, are worth -all the miracles of smooth juvenile versification. A school-boy, one -would say, might acquire the regular see-saw of Pope merely by an -association with the motion of the play-ground tilt. - -Mr. Poe's early productions show that he could see through the verse to -the spirit beneath, and that he already had a feeling that all the life -and grace of the one must depend on and be modulated by the will of the -other. We call them the most remarkable boyish poems that we have -ever read. We know of none that can compare with them for maturity of -purpose, and a nice understanding of the effects of language and metre. -Such pieces are only valuable when they display what we can only express -by the contradictory phrase of _innate experience. _We copy one of the -shorter poems, written when the author was only fourteen. There is a -little dimness in the filling up, but the grace and symmetry of the -outline are such as few poets ever attain. There is a smack of ambrosia -about it. - - TO HELEN - - Helen, thy beauty is to me - Like those Nicean barks of yore, - That gently, o'er a perfumed sea, - The weary, way-worn wanderer bore - To his own native shore. - - On desperate seas long wont to roam, - Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face, - Thy Naiad airs have brought me home - To the glory that was Greece - And the grandeur that was Rome. - - Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche - How statue-like I see thee stand! - The agate lamp within thy hand, - Ah! Psyche, from the regions which - Are Holy Land! - - -It is the tendency of the young poet that impresses us. Here is no -"withering scorn," no heart "blighted" ere it has safely got into its -teens, none of the drawing-room sansculottism which Byron had brought -into vogue. All is limpid and serene, with a pleasant dash of the Greek -Helicon in it. The melody of the whole, too, is remarkable. It is not of -that kind which can be demonstrated arithmetically upon the tips of -the fingers. It is of that finer sort which the inner ear alone -_can _estimate. It seems simple, like a Greek column, because of its -perfection. In a poem named "Ligeia," under which title he intended -to personify the music of nature, our boy-poet gives us the following -exquisite picture: - - Ligeia! Ligeia! - My beautiful one, - Whose harshest idea - Will to melody run, - Say, is it thy will, - On the breezes to toss, - Or, capriciously still, - Like the lone albatross, - Incumbent on night, - As she on the air, - To keep watch with delight - On the harmony there? - -John Neal, himself a man of genius, and whose lyre has been too long -capriciously silent, appreciated the high merit of these and similar -passages, and drew a proud horoscope for their author. - -Mr. Poe had that indescribable something which men have agreed to call -_genius_. No man could ever tell us precisely what it is, and yet there -is none who is not inevitably aware of its presence and its power. Let -talent writhe and contort itself as it may, it has no such magnetism. -Larger of bone and sinew it may be, but the wings are wanting. Talent -sticks fast to earth, and its most perfect works have still one foot of -clay. Genius claims kindred with the very workings of Nature herself, so -that a sunset shall seem like a quotation from Dante, and if Shakespeare -be read in the very presence of the sea itself, his verses shall but -seem nobler for the sublime criticism of ocean. Talent may make friends -for itself, but only genius can give to its creations the divine power -of winning love and veneration. Enthusiasm cannot cling to what itself -is unenthusiastic, nor will he ever have disciples who has not himself -impulsive zeal enough to be a disciple. Great wits are allied to madness -only inasmuch as they are possessed and carried away by their demon, -while talent keeps him, as Paracelsus did, securely prisoned in the -pommel of his sword. To the eye of genius, the veil of the spiritual -world is ever rent asunder that it may perceive the ministers of good -and evil who throng continually around it. No man of mere talent ever -flung his inkstand at the devil. - -When we say that Mr. Poe had genius, we do not mean to say that he has -produced evidence of the highest. But to say that he possesses it at -all is to say that he needs only zeal, industry, and a reverence for the -trust reposed in him, to achieve the proudest triumphs and the greenest -laurels. If we may believe the Longinuses and Aristotles of our -newspapers, we have quite too many geniuses of the loftiest order to -render a place among them at all desirable, whether for its hardness -of attainment or its seclusion. The highest peak of our Parnassus is, -according to these gentlemen, by far the most thickly settled portion -of the country, a circumstance which must make it an uncomfortable -residence for individuals of a poetical temperament, if love of -solitude be, as immemorial tradition asserts, a necessary part of their -idiosyncrasy. - -Mr. Poe has two of the prime qualities of genius, a faculty of vigorous -yet minute analysis, and a wonderful fecundity of imagination. The first -of these faculties is as needful to the artist in words, as a knowledge -of anatomy is to the artist in colors or in stone. This enables him to -conceive truly, to maintain a proper relation of parts, and to draw a -correct outline, while the second groups, fills up and colors. Both -of these Mr. Poe has displayed with singular distinctness in his prose -works, the last predominating in his earlier tales, and the first in his -later ones. In judging of the merit of an author, and assigning him his -niche among our household gods, we have a right to regard him from -our own point of view, and to measure him by our own standard. But, -in estimating the amount of power displayed in his works, we must be -governed by his own design, and placing them by the side of his own -ideal, find how much is wanting. We differ from Mr. Poe in his opinions -of the objects of art. He esteems that object to be the creation of -Beauty, and perhaps it is only in the definition of that word that we -disagree with him. But in what we shall say of his writings, we shall -take his own standard as our guide. The temple of the god of song is -equally accessible from every side, and there is room enough in it for -all who bring offerings, or seek in oracle. - -In his tales, Mr. Poe has chosen to exhibit his power chiefly in that -dim region which stretches from the very utmost limits of the probable -into the weird confines of superstition and unreality. He combines in -a very remarkable manner two faculties which are seldom found united; a -power of influencing the mind of the reader by the impalpable shadows -of mystery, and a minuteness of detail which does not leave a pin or -a button unnoticed. Both are, in truth, the natural results of the -predominating quality of his mind, to which we have before alluded, -analysis. It is this which distinguishes the artist. His mind at once -reaches forward to the effect to be produced. Having resolved to bring -about certain emotions in the reader, he makes all subordinate parts -tend strictly to the common centre. Even his mystery is mathematical -to his own mind. To him X is a known quantity all along. In any picture -that he paints he understands the chemical properties of all his -colors. However vague some of his figures may seem, however formless -the shadows, to him the outline is as clear and distinct as that of -a geometrical diagram. For this reason Mr. Poe has no sympathy with -Mysticism. The Mystic dwells in the mystery, is enveloped with it; it -colors all his thoughts; it affects his optic nerve especially, and the -commonest things get a rainbow edging from it. Mr. Poe, on the other -hand, is a spectator _ab extra_. He analyzes, he dissects, he watches - - "with an eye serene, - The very pulse of the machine," - - -for such it practically is to him, with wheels and cogs and piston-rods, -all working to produce a certain end. - -This analyzing tendency of his mind balances the poetical, and by giving -him the patience to be minute, enables him to throw a wonderful reality -into his most unreal fancies. A monomania he paints with great power. He -loves to dissect one of these cancers of the mind, and to trace all the -subtle ramifications of its roots. In raising images of horror, also, -he has strange success, conveying to us sometimes by a dusky hint -some terrible _doubt _which is the secret of all horror. He leaves to -imagination the task of finishing the picture, a task to which only she -is competent. - - "For much imaginary work was there; - Conceit deceitful, so compact, so kind, - That for Achilles' image stood his spear - Grasped in an armed hand; himself behind - Was left unseen, save to the eye of mind." - -Besides the merit of conception, Mr. Poe's writings have also that of -form. - -His style is highly finished, graceful and truly classical. It would be -hard to find a living author who had displayed such varied powers. As an -example of his style we would refer to one of his tales, "The House -of Usher," in the first volume of his "Tales of the Grotesque and -Arabesque." It has a singular charm for us, and we think that no one -could read it without being strongly moved by its serene and sombre -beauty. Had its author written nothing else, it would alone have been -enough to stamp him as a man of genius, and the master of a classic -style. In this tale occurs, perhaps, the most beautiful of his poems. - -The great masters of imagination have seldom resorted to the vague and -the unreal as sources of effect. They have not used dread and horror -alone, but only in combination with other qualities, as means of -subjugating the fancies of their readers. The loftiest muse has ever a -household and fireside charm about her. Mr. Poe's secret lies mainly in -the skill with which he has employed the strange fascination of mystery -and terror. In this his success is so great and striking as to deserve -the name of art, not artifice. We cannot call his materials the noblest -or purest, but we must concede to him the highest merit of construction. - -As a critic, Mr. Poe was aesthetically deficient. Unerring in his -analysis of dictions, metres and plots, he seemed wanting in the faculty -of perceiving the profounder ethics of art. His criticisms are, however, -distinguished for scientific precision and coherence of logic. They -have the exactness, and at the same time, the coldness of mathematical -demonstrations. Yet they stand in strikingly refreshing contrast with -the vague generalisms and sharp personalities of the day. If deficient -in warmth, they are also without the heat of partisanship. They are -especially valuable as illustrating the great truth, too generally -overlooked, that analytic power is a subordinate quality of the critic. - -On the whole, it may be considered certain that Mr. Poe has attained an -individual eminence in our literature which he will keep. He has given -proof of power and originality. He has done that which could only be -done once with success or safety, and the imitation or repetition of -which would produce weariness. - - - - -DEATH OF EDGAR A. POE - -By N. P. Willis - - -THE ancient fable of two antagonistic spirits imprisoned in one body, -equally powerful and having the complete mastery by turns-of one man, -that is to say, inhabited by both a devil and an angel seems to -have been realized, if all we hear is true, in the character of the -extraordinary man whose name we have written above. Our own impression -of the nature of Edgar A. Poe, differs in some important degree, -however, from that which has been generally conveyed in the notices of -his death. Let us, before telling what we personally know of him, copy -a graphic and highly finished portraiture, from the pen of Dr. Rufus W. -Griswold, which appeared in a recent number of the "Tribune": - -"Edgar Allen Poe is dead. He died in Baltimore on Sunday, October 7th. -This announcement will startle many, but few will be grieved by it. The -poet was known, personally or by reputation, in all this country; he had -readers in England and in several of the states of Continental Europe; -but he had few or no friends; and the regrets for his death will be -suggested principally by the consideration that in him literary art has -lost one of its most brilliant but erratic stars. - -"His conversation was at times almost supramortal in its eloquence. His -voice was modulated with astonishing skill, and his large and variably -expressive eyes looked repose or shot fiery tumult into theirs who -listened, while his own face glowed, or was changeless in pallor, as his -imagination quickened his blood or drew it back frozen to his heart. His -imagery was from the worlds which no mortals can see but with the vision -of genius. Suddenly starting from a proposition, exactly and sharply -defined, in terms of utmost simplicity and clearness, he rejected the -forms of customary logic, and by a crystalline process of accretion, -built up his ocular demonstrations in forms of gloomiest and ghastliest -grandeur, or in those of the most airy and delicious beauty, so minutely -and distinctly, yet so rapidly, that the attention which was yielded -to him was chained till it stood among his wonderful creations, till he -himself dissolved the spell, and brought his hearers back to common -and base existence, by vulgar fancies or exhibitions of the ignoblest -passion. - -"He was at all times a dreamer dwelling in ideal realms, in heaven or -hell, peopled with the creatures and the accidents of his brain. He -walked the streets, in madness or melancholy, with lips moving in -indistinct curses, or with eyes upturned in passionate prayer (never for -himself, for he felt, or professed to feel, that he was already damned, -but) for their happiness who at the moment were objects of his idolatry; -or with his glances introverted to a heart gnawed with anguish, and with -a face shrouded in gloom, he would brave the wildest storms, and all -night, with drenched garments and arms beating the winds and rains, -would speak as if the spirits that at such times only could be evoked by -him from the Aidenn, close by whose portals his disturbed soul sought to -forget the ills to which his constitution subjected him--close by the -Aidenn where were those he loved--the Aidenn which he might never see, -but in fitful glimpses, as its gates opened to receive the less fiery -and more happy natures whose destiny to sin did not involve the doom of -death. - -"He seemed, except when some fitful pursuit subjugated his will and -engrossed his faculties, always to bear the memory of some controlling -sorrow. The remarkable poem of 'The Raven' was probably much more nearly -than has been supposed, even by those who were very intimate with him, a -reflection and an echo of his own history. _He_ was that bird's - - "'Unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster - Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-- - Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore - Of 'Never-never more.' - - -"Every genuine author in a greater or less degree leaves in his works, -whatever their design, traces of his personal character: elements of his -immortal being, in which the individual survives the person. While we -read the pages of the 'Fall of the House of Usher,' or of 'Mesmeric -Revelations,' we see in the solemn and stately gloom which invests one, -and in the subtle metaphysical analysis of both, indications of the -idiosyncrasies of what was most remarkable and peculiar in the author's -intellectual nature. But we see here only the better phases of his -nature, only the symbols of his juster action, for his harsh experience -had deprived him of all faith in man or woman. He had made up his mind -upon the numberless complexities of the social world, and the whole -system with him was an imposture. This conviction gave a direction to -his shrewd and naturally unamiable character. Still, though he regarded -society as composed altogether of villains, the sharpness of his -intellect was not of that kind which enabled him to cope with villany, -while it continually caused him by overshots to fail of the success of -honesty. He was in many respects like Francis Vivian in Bulwer's novel -of 'The Caxtons.' Passion, in him, comprehended--many of the worst -emotions which militate against human happiness. You could not -contradict him, but you raised quick choler; you could not speak of -wealth, but his cheek paled with gnawing envy. The astonishing natural -advantages of this poor boy--his beauty, his readiness, the daring -spirit that breathed around him like a fiery atmosphere--had raised his -constitutional self-confidence into an arrogance that turned his -very claims to admiration into prejudices against him. Irascible, -envious--bad enough, but not the worst, for these salient angles were -all varnished over with a cold, repellant cynicism, his passions vented -themselves in sneers. There seemed to him no moral susceptibility; and, -what was more remarkable in a proud nature, little or nothing of the -true point of honor. He had, to a morbid excess, that, desire to rise -which is vulgarly called ambition, but no wish for the esteem or the -love of his species; only the hard wish to succeed-not shine, not -serve--succeed, that he might have the right to despise a world which -galled his self-conceit. - -"We have suggested the influence of his aims and vicissitudes upon his -literature. It was more conspicuous in his later than in his -earlier writings. Nearly all that he wrote in the last two or three -years-including much of his best poetry-was in some sense biographical; -in draperies of his imagination, those who had taken the trouble to -trace his steps, could perceive, but slightly concealed, the figure of -himself." - -Apropos of the disparaging portion of the above well-written sketch, let -us truthfully say: - -Some four or five years since, when editing a daily paper in this -city, Mr. Poe was employed by us, for several months, as critic and -sub-editor. This was our first personal acquaintance with him. He -resided with his wife and mother at Fordham, a few miles out of town, -but was at his desk in the office, from nine in the morning till the -evening paper went to press. With the highest admiration for his genius, -and a willingness to let it atone for more than ordinary irregularity, -we were led by common report to expect a very capricious attention to -his duties, and occasionally a scene of violence and difficulty. Time -went on, however, and he was invariably punctual and industrious. With -his pale, beautiful, and intellectual face, as a reminder of what genius -was in him, it was impossible, of course, not to treat him always with -deferential courtesy, and, to our occasional request that he would not -probe too deep in a criticism, or that he would erase a passage colored -too highly with his resentments against society and mankind, he readily -and courteously assented-far more yielding than most men, we thought, -on points so excusably sensitive. With a prospect of taking the lead in -another periodical, he, at last, voluntarily gave up his employment -with us, and, through all this considerable period, we had seen but -one presentment of the man-a quiet, patient, industrious, and most -gentlemanly person, commanding the utmost respect and good feeling by -his unvarying deportment and ability. - -Residing as he did in the country, we never met Mr. Poe in hours of -leisure; but he frequently called on us afterward at our place of -business, and we met him often in the street-invariably the same sad -mannered, winning and refined gentleman, such as we had always known -him. It was by rumor only, up to the day of his death, that we knew of -any other development of manner or character. We heard, from one who -knew him well (what should be stated in all mention of his lamentable -irregularities), that, with a single glass of wine, his whole nature -was reversed, the demon became uppermost, and, though none of the -usual signs of intoxication were visible, his will was palpably insane. -Possessing his reasoning faculties in excited activity, at such times, -and seeking his acquaintances with his wonted look and memory, he easily -seemed personating only another phase of his natural character, and was -accused, accordingly, of insulting arrogance and bad-heartedness. In -this reversed character, we repeat, it was never our chance to see him. -We know it from hearsay, and we mention it in connection with this sad -infirmity of physical constitution; which puts it upon very nearly the -ground of a temporary and almost irresponsible insanity. - -The arrogance, vanity, and depravity of heart, of which Mr. Poe was -generally accused, seem to us referable altogether to this reversed -phase of his character. Under that degree of intoxication which only -acted upon him by demonizing his sense of truth and right, he doubtless -said and did much that was wholly irreconcilable with his better nature; -but, when himself, and as we knew him only, his modesty and unaffected -humility, as to his own deservings, were a constant charm to his -character. His letters, of which the constant application for autographs -has taken from us, we are sorry to confess, the greater portion, -exhibited this quality very strongly. In one of the carelessly written -notes of which we chance still to retain possession, for instance, he -speaks of "The Raven"--that extraordinary poem which electrified the -world of imaginative readers, and has become the type of a school of -poetry of its own-and, in evident earnest, attributes its success to -the few words of commendation with which we had prefaced it in this -paper.--It will throw light on his sane character to give a literal copy -of the note: - - "FORDHAM, April 20, 1849 - - -"My DEAR WILLIS--The poem which I inclose, and which I am so vain as to -hope you will like, in some respects, has been just published in a paper -for which sheer necessity compels me to write, now and then. It pays -well as times go-but unquestionably it ought to pay ten prices; for -whatever I send it I feel I am consigning to the tomb of the Capulets. -The verses accompanying this, may I beg you to take out of the tomb, and -bring them to light in the 'Home journal?' If you can oblige me so far -as to copy them, I do not think it will be necessary to say 'From the -----, that would be too bad; and, perhaps, 'From a late ---- paper,' -would do. - -"I have not forgotten how a 'good word in season' from you made 'The -Raven,' and made 'Ulalume' (which by-the-way, people have done me the -honor of attributing to you), therefore, I would ask you (if I dared) to -say something of these lines if they please you. - - "Truly yours ever, - - "EDGAR A. POE." - - -In double proof of his earnest disposition to do the best for himself, -and of the trustful and grateful nature which has been denied him, we -give another of the only three of his notes which we chance to retain: - - "FORDHAM, January 22, 1848. - - -"My DEAR MR. WILLIS--I am about to make an effort at re-establishing -myself in the literary world, and _feel _that I may depend upon your -aid. - -"My general aim is to start a Magazine, to be called 'The Stylus,' but -it would be useless to me, even when established, if not entirely out of -the control of a publisher. I mean, therefore, to get up a journal which -shall be _my own_ at all points. With this end in view, I must get a -list of at least five hundred subscribers to begin with; nearly two -hundred I have already. I propose, however, to go South and West, -among my personal and literary friends--old college and West Point -acquaintances--and see what I can do. In order to get the means of -taking the first step, I propose to lecture at the Society Library, -on Thursday, the 3d of February, and, that there may be no cause of -_squabbling_, my subject shall _not be literary _at all. I have chosen a -broad text: 'The Universe.' - -"Having thus given you _the facts_ of the case, I leave all the rest -to the suggestions of your own tact and generosity. Gratefully, _most -gratefully,_ - - _"Your friend always,_ - - _"EDGAR A. POE._" - - -Brief and chance-taken as these letters are, we think they sufficiently -prove the existence of the very qualities denied to Mr. Poe-humility, -willingness to persevere, belief in another's friendship, and capability -of cordial and grateful friendship! Such he assuredly was when sane. -Such only he has invariably seemed to us, in all we have happened -personally to know of him, through a friendship of five or six years. -And so much easier is it to believe what we have seen and known, than -what we hear of only, that we remember him but with admiration and -respect; these descriptions of him, when morally insane, seeming to -us like portraits, painted in sickness, of a man we have only known in -health. - -But there is another, more touching, and far more forcible evidence that -there was _goodness _in Edgar A. Poe. To reveal it we are obliged to -venture upon the lifting of the veil which sacredly covers grief and -refinement in poverty; but we think it may be excused, if so we can -brighten the memory of the poet, even were there not a more needed and -immediate service which it may render to the nearest link broken by his -death. - -Our first knowledge of Mr. Poe's removal to this city was by a call -which we received from a lady who introduced herself to us as the mother -of his wife. She was in search of employment for him, and she excused -her errand by mentioning that he was ill, that her daughter was a -confirmed invalid, and that their circumstances were such as compelled -her taking it upon herself. The countenance of this lady, made beautiful -and saintly with an evidently complete giving up of her life to -privation and sorrowful tenderness, her gentle and mournful voice urging -its plea, her long-forgotten but habitually and unconsciously refined -manners, and her appealing and yet appreciative mention of the claims -and abilities of her son, disclosed at once the presence of one of those -angels upon earth that women in adversity can be. It was a hard fate -that she was watching over. Mr. Poe wrote with fastidious difficulty, -and in a style too much above the popular level to be well paid. He was -always in pecuniary difficulty, and, with his sick wife, frequently in -want of the merest necessaries of life. Winter after winter, for -years, the most touching sight to us, in this whole city, has been that -tireless minister to genius, thinly and insufficiently clad, going from -office to office with a poem, or an article on some literary subject, to -sell, sometimes simply pleading in a broken voice that he was ill, and -begging for him, mentioning nothing but that "he was ill," whatever -might be the reason for his writing nothing, and never, amid all her -tears and recitals of distress, suffering one syllable to escape her -lips that could convey a doubt of him, or a complaint, or a lessening of -pride in his genius and good intentions. Her daughter died a year and -a half since, but she did not desert him. She continued his ministering -angel--living with him, caring for him, guarding him against exposure, -and when he was carried away by temptation, amid grief and the -loneliness of feelings unreplied to, and awoke from his self abandonment -prostrated in destitution and suffering, _begging _for him still. If -woman's devotion, born with a first love, and fed with human passion, -hallow its object, as it is allowed to do, what does not a devotion -like this-pure, disinterested and holy as the watch of an invisible -spirit-say for him who inspired it? - -We have a letter before us, written by this lady, Mrs. Clemm, on the -morning in which she heard of the death of this object of her untiring -care. It is merely a request that we would call upon her, but we will -copy a few of its words--sacred as its privacy is--to warrant the truth -of the picture we have drawn above, and add force to the appeal we wish -to make for her: - -"I have this morning heard of the death of my darling Eddie.... Can you -give me any circumstances or particulars?... Oh! do not desert your -poor friend in his bitter affliction!... Ask Mr. ---- to come, as I must -deliver a message to him from my poor Eddie.... I need not ask you to -notice his death and to speak well of him. I know you will. But say what -an affectionate son he was to me, his poor desolate mother..." - -To hedge round a grave with respect, what choice is there, between the -relinquished wealth and honors of the world, and the story of such a -woman's unrewarded devotion! Risking what we do, in delicacy, by making -it public, we feel--other reasons aside--that it betters the world to -make known that there are such ministrations to its erring and gifted. -What we have said will speak to some hearts. There are those who will -be glad to know how the lamp, whose light of poetry has beamed on their -far-away recognition, was watched over with care and pain, that they -may send to her, who is more darkened than they by its extinction, some -token of their sympathy. She is destitute and alone. If any, far or -near, will send to us what may aid and cheer her through the remainder -of her life, we will joyfully place it in her hands. - - - - - -THE UNPARALLELED ADVENTURES OF ONE HANS PFAALL (*1) - -BY late accounts from Rotterdam, that city seems to be in a high state -of philosophical excitement. Indeed, phenomena have there occurred of -a nature so completely unexpected--so entirely novel--so utterly at -variance with preconceived opinions--as to leave no doubt on my mind -that long ere this all Europe is in an uproar, all physics in a ferment, -all reason and astronomy together by the ears. - -It appears that on the---- day of---- (I am not positive about the -date), a vast crowd of people, for purposes not specifically -mentioned, were assembled in the great square of the Exchange in the -well-conditioned city of Rotterdam. The day was warm--unusually so for -the season--there was hardly a breath of air stirring; and the multitude -were in no bad humor at being now and then besprinkled with friendly -showers of momentary duration, that fell from large white masses -of cloud which chequered in a fitful manner the blue vault of the -firmament. Nevertheless, about noon, a slight but remarkable agitation -became apparent in the assembly: the clattering of ten thousand tongues -succeeded; and, in an instant afterward, ten thousand faces were -upturned toward the heavens, ten thousand pipes descended simultaneously -from the corners of ten thousand mouths, and a shout, which could be -compared to nothing but the roaring of Niagara, resounded long, loudly, -and furiously, through all the environs of Rotterdam. - -The origin of this hubbub soon became sufficiently evident. From behind -the huge bulk of one of those sharply-defined masses of cloud already -mentioned, was seen slowly to emerge into an open area of blue space, a -queer, heterogeneous, but apparently solid substance, so oddly shaped, -so whimsically put together, as not to be in any manner comprehended, -and never to be sufficiently admired, by the host of sturdy burghers who -stood open-mouthed below. What could it be? In the name of all the vrows -and devils in Rotterdam, what could it possibly portend? No one knew, no -one could imagine; no one--not even the burgomaster Mynheer Superbus Von -Underduk--had the slightest clew by which to unravel the mystery; so, as -nothing more reasonable could be done, every one to a man replaced his -pipe carefully in the corner of his mouth, and cocking up his right -eye towards the phenomenon, puffed, paused, waddled about, and grunted -significantly--then waddled back, grunted, paused, and finally--puffed -again. - -In the meantime, however, lower and still lower toward the goodly city, -came the object of so much curiosity, and the cause of so much smoke. In -a very few minutes it arrived near enough to be accurately discerned. It -appeared to be--yes! it was undoubtedly a species of balloon; but surely -no such balloon had ever been seen in Rotterdam before. For who, let me -ask, ever heard of a balloon manufactured entirely of dirty newspapers? -No man in Holland certainly; yet here, under the very noses of the -people, or rather at some distance above their noses was the identical -thing in question, and composed, I have it on the best authority, of -the precise material which no one had ever before known to be used for -a similar purpose. It was an egregious insult to the good sense of the -burghers of Rotterdam. As to the shape of the phenomenon, it was even -still more reprehensible. Being little or nothing better than a huge -foolscap turned upside down. And this similitude was regarded as by no -means lessened when, upon nearer inspection, there was perceived a large -tassel depending from its apex, and, around the upper rim or base of the -cone, a circle of little instruments, resembling sheep-bells, which kept -up a continual tinkling to the tune of Betty Martin. But still worse. -Suspended by blue ribbons to the end of this fantastic machine, -there hung, by way of car, an enormous drab beaver hat, with a brim -superlatively broad, and a hemispherical crown with a black band and a -silver buckle. It is, however, somewhat remarkable that many citizens -of Rotterdam swore to having seen the same hat repeatedly before; and -indeed the whole assembly seemed to regard it with eyes of familiarity; -while the vrow Grettel Pfaall, upon sight of it, uttered an exclamation -of joyful surprise, and declared it to be the identical hat of her good -man himself. Now this was a circumstance the more to be observed, as -Pfaall, with three companions, had actually disappeared from Rotterdam -about five years before, in a very sudden and unaccountable manner, and -up to the date of this narrative all attempts had failed of obtaining -any intelligence concerning them whatsoever. To be sure, some bones -which were thought to be human, mixed up with a quantity of odd-looking -rubbish, had been lately discovered in a retired situation to the east -of Rotterdam, and some people went so far as to imagine that in this -spot a foul murder had been committed, and that the sufferers were in -all probability Hans Pfaall and his associates. But to return. - -The balloon (for such no doubt it was) had now descended to within -a hundred feet of the earth, allowing the crowd below a sufficiently -distinct view of the person of its occupant. This was in truth a very -droll little somebody. He could not have been more than two feet in -height; but this altitude, little as it was, would have been sufficient -to destroy his equilibrium, and tilt him over the edge of his tiny -car, but for the intervention of a circular rim reaching as high as -the breast, and rigged on to the cords of the balloon. The body of the -little man was more than proportionately broad, giving to his entire -figure a rotundity highly absurd. His feet, of course, could not be seen -at all, although a horny substance of suspicious nature was occasionally -protruded through a rent in the bottom of the car, or to speak more -properly, in the top of the hat. His hands were enormously large. His -hair was extremely gray, and collected in a cue behind. His nose was -prodigiously long, crooked, and inflammatory; his eyes full, brilliant, -and acute; his chin and cheeks, although wrinkled with age, were broad, -puffy, and double; but of ears of any kind or character there was not a -semblance to be discovered upon any portion of his head. This odd little -gentleman was dressed in a loose surtout of sky-blue satin, with tight -breeches to match, fastened with silver buckles at the knees. His vest -was of some bright yellow material; a white taffety cap was set jauntily -on one side of his head; and, to complete his equipment, a blood-red -silk handkerchief enveloped his throat, and fell down, in a dainty -manner, upon his bosom, in a fantastic bow-knot of super-eminent -dimensions. - -Having descended, as I said before, to about one hundred feet from the -surface of the earth, the little old gentleman was suddenly seized -with a fit of trepidation, and appeared disinclined to make any nearer -approach to terra firma. Throwing out, therefore, a quantity of sand -from a canvas bag, which, he lifted with great difficulty, he became -stationary in an instant. He then proceeded, in a hurried and agitated -manner, to extract from a side-pocket in his surtout a large morocco -pocket-book. This he poised suspiciously in his hand, then eyed it with -an air of extreme surprise, and was evidently astonished at its weight. -He at length opened it, and drawing there from a huge letter sealed with -red sealing-wax and tied carefully with red tape, let it fall precisely -at the feet of the burgomaster, Superbus Von Underduk. His Excellency -stooped to take it up. But the aeronaut, still greatly discomposed, and -having apparently no farther business to detain him in Rotterdam, began -at this moment to make busy preparations for departure; and it being -necessary to discharge a portion of ballast to enable him to reascend, -the half dozen bags which he threw out, one after another, without -taking the trouble to empty their contents, tumbled, every one of them, -most unfortunately upon the back of the burgomaster, and rolled him over -and over no less than one-and-twenty times, in the face of every man in -Rotterdam. It is not to be supposed, however, that the great Underduk -suffered this impertinence on the part of the little old man to pass off -with impunity. It is said, on the contrary, that during each and every -one of his one-and twenty circumvolutions he emitted no less than -one-and-twenty distinct and furious whiffs from his pipe, to which he -held fast the whole time with all his might, and to which he intends -holding fast until the day of his death. - -In the meantime the balloon arose like a lark, and, soaring far away -above the city, at length drifted quietly behind a cloud similar to that -from which it had so oddly emerged, and was thus lost forever to the -wondering eyes of the good citizens of Rotterdam. All attention was -now directed to the letter, the descent of which, and the consequences -attending thereupon, had proved so fatally subversive of both person and -personal dignity to his Excellency, the illustrious Burgomaster Mynheer -Superbus Von Underduk. That functionary, however, had not failed, during -his circumgyratory movements, to bestow a thought upon the important -subject of securing the packet in question, which was seen, upon -inspection, to have fallen into the most proper hands, being actually -addressed to himself and Professor Rub-a-dub, in their official -capacities of President and Vice-President of the Rotterdam College of -Astronomy. It was accordingly opened by those dignitaries upon the -spot, and found to contain the following extraordinary, and indeed very -serious, communications. - -To their Excellencies Von Underduk and Rub-a-dub, President and -Vice-President of the States' College of Astronomers, in the city of -Rotterdam. - -"Your Excellencies may perhaps be able to remember an humble artizan, by -name Hans Pfaall, and by occupation a mender of bellows, who, with three -others, disappeared from Rotterdam, about five years ago, in a manner -which must have been considered by all parties at once sudden, and -extremely unaccountable. If, however, it so please your Excellencies, I, -the writer of this communication, am the identical Hans Pfaall himself. -It is well known to most of my fellow citizens, that for the period of -forty years I continued to occupy the little square brick building, at -the head of the alley called Sauerkraut, in which I resided at the time -of my disappearance. My ancestors have also resided therein time out of -mind--they, as well as myself, steadily following the respectable and -indeed lucrative profession of mending of bellows. For, to speak the -truth, until of late years, that the heads of all the people have been -set agog with politics, no better business than my own could an -honest citizen of Rotterdam either desire or deserve. Credit was good, -employment was never wanting, and on all hands there was no lack of -either money or good-will. But, as I was saying, we soon began to feel -the effects of liberty and long speeches, and radicalism, and all that -sort of thing. People who were formerly, the very best customers in the -world, had now not a moment of time to think of us at all. They had, so -they said, as much as they could do to read about the revolutions, and -keep up with the march of intellect and the spirit of the age. If a fire -wanted fanning, it could readily be fanned with a newspaper, and as the -government grew weaker, I have no doubt that leather and iron acquired -durability in proportion, for, in a very short time, there was not a -pair of bellows in all Rotterdam that ever stood in need of a stitch or -required the assistance of a hammer. This was a state of things not -to be endured. I soon grew as poor as a rat, and, having a wife and -children to provide for, my burdens at length became intolerable, and I -spent hour after hour in reflecting upon the most convenient method of -putting an end to my life. Duns, in the meantime, left me little leisure -for contemplation. My house was literally besieged from morning till -night, so that I began to rave, and foam, and fret like a caged -tiger against the bars of his enclosure. There were three fellows in -particular who worried me beyond endurance, keeping watch continually -about my door, and threatening me with the law. Upon these three I -internally vowed the bitterest revenge, if ever I should be so happy as -to get them within my clutches; and I believe nothing in the world but -the pleasure of this anticipation prevented me from putting my plan -of suicide into immediate execution, by blowing my brains out with a -blunderbuss. I thought it best, however, to dissemble my wrath, and to -treat them with promises and fair words, until, by some good turn of -fate, an opportunity of vengeance should be afforded me. - -"One day, having given my creditors the slip, and feeling more than -usually dejected, I continued for a long time to wander about the most -obscure streets without object whatever, until at length I chanced to -stumble against the corner of a bookseller's stall. Seeing a chair close -at hand, for the use of customers, I threw myself doggedly into it, -and, hardly knowing why, opened the pages of the first volume which -came within my reach. It proved to be a small pamphlet treatise on -Speculative Astronomy, written either by Professor Encke of Berlin or -by a Frenchman of somewhat similar name. I had some little tincture of -information on matters of this nature, and soon became more and more -absorbed in the contents of the book, reading it actually through twice -before I awoke to a recollection of what was passing around me. By this -time it began to grow dark, and I directed my steps toward home. But -the treatise had made an indelible impression on my mind, and, as I -sauntered along the dusky streets, I revolved carefully over in my -memory the wild and sometimes unintelligible reasonings of the writer. -There are some particular passages which affected my imagination in a -powerful and extraordinary manner. The longer I meditated upon these -the more intense grew the interest which had been excited within me. -The limited nature of my education in general, and more especially my -ignorance on subjects connected with natural philosophy, so far from -rendering me diffident of my own ability to comprehend what I had read, -or inducing me to mistrust the many vague notions which had arisen in -consequence, merely served as a farther stimulus to imagination; and I -was vain enough, or perhaps reasonable enough, to doubt whether -those crude ideas which, arising in ill-regulated minds, have all the -appearance, may not often in effect possess all the force, the reality, -and other inherent properties, of instinct or intuition; whether, to -proceed a step farther, profundity itself might not, in matters of a -purely speculative nature, be detected as a legitimate source of falsity -and error. In other words, I believed, and still do believe, that truth, -is frequently of its own essence, superficial, and that, in many cases, -the depth lies more in the abysses where we seek her, than in the actual -situations wherein she may be found. Nature herself seemed to afford -me corroboration of these ideas. In the contemplation of the heavenly -bodies it struck me forcibly that I could not distinguish a star with -nearly as much precision, when I gazed on it with earnest, direct and -undeviating attention, as when I suffered my eye only to glance in -its vicinity alone. I was not, of course, at that time aware that this -apparent paradox was occasioned by the center of the visual area being -less susceptible of feeble impressions of light than the exterior -portions of the retina. This knowledge, and some of another kind, came -afterwards in the course of an eventful five years, during which I -have dropped the prejudices of my former humble situation in life, and -forgotten the bellows-mender in far different occupations. But at the -epoch of which I speak, the analogy which a casual observation of a star -offered to the conclusions I had already drawn, struck me with the force -of positive conformation, and I then finally made up my mind to the -course which I afterwards pursued. - -"It was late when I reached home, and I went immediately to bed. My -mind, however, was too much occupied to sleep, and I lay the whole night -buried in meditation. Arising early in the morning, and contriving -again to escape the vigilance of my creditors, I repaired eagerly to the -bookseller's stall, and laid out what little ready money I possessed, -in the purchase of some volumes of Mechanics and Practical Astronomy. -Having arrived at home safely with these, I devoted every spare moment -to their perusal, and soon made such proficiency in studies of this -nature as I thought sufficient for the execution of my plan. In the -intervals of this period, I made every endeavor to conciliate the -three creditors who had given me so much annoyance. In this I finally -succeeded--partly by selling enough of my household furniture to satisfy -a moiety of their claim, and partly by a promise of paying the balance -upon completion of a little project which I told them I had in view, and -for assistance in which I solicited their services. By these means--for -they were ignorant men--I found little difficulty in gaining them over -to my purpose. - -"Matters being thus arranged, I contrived, by the aid of my wife and -with the greatest secrecy and caution, to dispose of what property I had -remaining, and to borrow, in small sums, under various pretences, -and without paying any attention to my future means of repayment, no -inconsiderable quantity of ready money. With the means thus accruing I -proceeded to procure at intervals, cambric muslin, very fine, in pieces -of twelve yards each; twine; a lot of the varnish of caoutchouc; a -large and deep basket of wicker-work, made to order; and several other -articles necessary in the construction and equipment of a balloon of -extraordinary dimensions. This I directed my wife to make up as soon as -possible, and gave her all requisite information as to the particular -method of proceeding. In the meantime I worked up the twine into -a net-work of sufficient dimensions; rigged it with a hoop and the -necessary cords; bought a quadrant, a compass, a spy-glass, a common -barometer with some important modifications, and two astronomical -instruments not so generally known. I then took opportunities of -conveying by night, to a retired situation east of Rotterdam, five -iron-bound casks, to contain about fifty gallons each, and one of a -larger size; six tinned ware tubes, three inches in diameter, properly -shaped, and ten feet in length; a quantity of a particular metallic -substance, or semi-metal, which I shall not name, and a dozen demijohns -of a very common acid. The gas to be formed from these latter materials -is a gas never yet generated by any other person than myself--or at -least never applied to any similar purpose. The secret I would make no -difficulty in disclosing, but that it of right belongs to a citizen of -Nantz, in France, by whom it was conditionally communicated to myself. -The same individual submitted to me, without being at all aware of my -intentions, a method of constructing balloons from the membrane of a -certain animal, through which substance any escape of gas was nearly an -impossibility. I found it, however, altogether too expensive, and was -not sure, upon the whole, whether cambric muslin with a coating of -gum caoutchouc, was not equally as good. I mention this circumstance, -because I think it probable that hereafter the individual in question -may attempt a balloon ascension with the novel gas and material I have -spoken of, and I do not wish to deprive him of the honor of a very -singular invention. - -"On the spot which I intended each of the smaller casks to occupy -respectively during the inflation of the balloon, I privately dug a hole -two feet deep; the holes forming in this manner a circle twenty-five -feet in diameter. In the centre of this circle, being the station -designed for the large cask, I also dug a hole three feet in depth. In -each of the five smaller holes, I deposited a canister containing -fifty pounds, and in the larger one a keg holding one hundred and fifty -pounds, of cannon powder. These--the keg and canisters--I connected in -a proper manner with covered trains; and having let into one of the -canisters the end of about four feet of slow match, I covered up the -hole, and placed the cask over it, leaving the other end of the match -protruding about an inch, and barely visible beyond the cask. I then -filled up the remaining holes, and placed the barrels over them in their -destined situation. - -"Besides the articles above enumerated, I conveyed to the depot, and -there secreted, one of M. Grimm's improvements upon the apparatus for -condensation of the atmospheric air. I found this machine, however, -to require considerable alteration before it could be adapted to the -purposes to which I intended making it applicable. But, with severe -labor and unremitting perseverance, I at length met with entire success -in all my preparations. My balloon was soon completed. It would contain -more than forty thousand cubic feet of gas; would take me up easily, I -calculated, with all my implements, and, if I managed rightly, with -one hundred and seventy-five pounds of ballast into the bargain. It -had received three coats of varnish, and I found the cambric muslin to -answer all the purposes of silk itself, quite as strong and a good deal -less expensive. - -"Everything being now ready, I exacted from my wife an oath of secrecy -in relation to all my actions from the day of my first visit to the -bookseller's stall; and promising, on my part, to return as soon as -circumstances would permit, I gave her what little money I had left, -and bade her farewell. Indeed I had no fear on her account. She was -what people call a notable woman, and could manage matters in the world -without my assistance. I believe, to tell the truth, she always looked -upon me as an idle boy, a mere make-weight, good for nothing but -building castles in the air, and was rather glad to get rid of me. -It was a dark night when I bade her good-bye, and taking with me, as -aides-de-camp, the three creditors who had given me so much trouble, -we carried the balloon, with the car and accoutrements, by a roundabout -way, to the station where the other articles were deposited. We there -found them all unmolested, and I proceeded immediately to business. - -"It was the first of April. The night, as I said before, was dark; there -was not a star to be seen; and a drizzling rain, falling at intervals, -rendered us very uncomfortable. But my chief anxiety was concerning -the balloon, which, in spite of the varnish with which it was defended, -began to grow rather heavy with the moisture; the powder also was liable -to damage. I therefore kept my three duns working with great diligence, -pounding down ice around the central cask, and stirring the acid in the -others. They did not cease, however, importuning me with questions as -to what I intended to do with all this apparatus, and expressed much -dissatisfaction at the terrible labor I made them undergo. They could -not perceive, so they said, what good was likely to result from -their getting wet to the skin, merely to take a part in such horrible -incantations. I began to get uneasy, and worked away with all my might, -for I verily believe the idiots supposed that I had entered into a -compact with the devil, and that, in short, what I was now doing was -nothing better than it should be. I was, therefore, in great fear of -their leaving me altogether. I contrived, however, to pacify them by -promises of payment of all scores in full, as soon as I could bring -the present business to a termination. To these speeches they gave, of -course, their own interpretation; fancying, no doubt, that at all events -I should come into possession of vast quantities of ready money; and -provided I paid them all I owed, and a trifle more, in consideration of -their services, I dare say they cared very little what became of either -my soul or my carcass. - -"In about four hours and a half I found the balloon sufficiently -inflated. I attached the car, therefore, and put all my implements in -it--not forgetting the condensing apparatus, a copious supply of water, -and a large quantity of provisions, such as pemmican, in which much -nutriment is contained in comparatively little bulk. I also secured in -the car a pair of pigeons and a cat. It was now nearly daybreak, and I -thought it high time to take my departure. Dropping a lighted cigar on -the ground, as if by accident, I took the opportunity, in stooping to -pick it up, of igniting privately the piece of slow match, whose end, -as I said before, protruded a very little beyond the lower rim of one of -the smaller casks. This manoeuvre was totally unperceived on the part of -the three duns; and, jumping into the car, I immediately cut the single -cord which held me to the earth, and was pleased to find that I shot -upward, carrying with all ease one hundred and seventy-five pounds of -leaden ballast, and able to have carried up as many more. - -"Scarcely, however, had I attained the height of fifty yards, when, -roaring and rumbling up after me in the most horrible and tumultuous -manner, came so dense a hurricane of fire, and smoke, and sulphur, and -legs and arms, and gravel, and burning wood, and blazing metal, that -my very heart sunk within me, and I fell down in the bottom of the car, -trembling with unmitigated terror. Indeed, I now perceived that I had -entirely overdone the business, and that the main consequences of the -shock were yet to be experienced. Accordingly, in less than a second, -I felt all the blood in my body rushing to my temples, and immediately -thereupon, a concussion, which I shall never forget, burst abruptly -through the night and seemed to rip the very firmament asunder. When -I afterward had time for reflection, I did not fail to attribute the -extreme violence of the explosion, as regarded myself, to its proper -cause--my situation directly above it, and in the line of its greatest -power. But at the time, I thought only of preserving my life. The -balloon at first collapsed, then furiously expanded, then whirled round -and round with horrible velocity, and finally, reeling and staggering -like a drunken man, hurled me with great force over the rim of the car, -and left me dangling, at a terrific height, with my head downward, and -my face outwards, by a piece of slender cord about three feet in -length, which hung accidentally through a crevice near the bottom of -the wicker-work, and in which, as I fell, my left foot became most -providentially entangled. It is impossible--utterly impossible--to form -any adequate idea of the horror of my situation. I gasped convulsively -for breath--a shudder resembling a fit of the ague agitated every nerve -and muscle of my frame--I felt my eyes starting from their sockets--a -horrible nausea overwhelmed me--and at length I fainted away. - -"How long I remained in this state it is impossible to say. It must, -however, have been no inconsiderable time, for when I partially -recovered the sense of existence, I found the day breaking, the balloon -at a prodigious height over a wilderness of ocean, and not a trace -of land to be discovered far and wide within the limits of the vast -horizon. My sensations, however, upon thus recovering, were by no means -so rife with agony as might have been anticipated. Indeed, there was -much of incipient madness in the calm survey which I began to take of my -situation. I drew up to my eyes each of my hands, one after the other, -and wondered what occurrence could have given rise to the swelling of -the veins, and the horrible blackness of the fingernails. I afterward -carefully examined my head, shaking it repeatedly, and feeling it with -minute attention, until I succeeded in satisfying myself that it was -not, as I had more than half suspected, larger than my balloon. Then, -in a knowing manner, I felt in both my breeches pockets, and, missing -therefrom a set of tablets and a toothpick case, endeavored to account -for their disappearance, and not being able to do so, felt inexpressibly -chagrined. It now occurred to me that I suffered great uneasiness in the -joint of my left ankle, and a dim consciousness of my situation began to -glimmer through my mind. But, strange to say! I was neither astonished -nor horror-stricken. If I felt any emotion at all, it was a kind of -chuckling satisfaction at the cleverness I was about to display in -extricating myself from this dilemma; and I never, for a moment, looked -upon my ultimate safety as a question susceptible of doubt. For a few -minutes I remained wrapped in the profoundest meditation. I have a -distinct recollection of frequently compressing my lips, putting -my forefinger to the side of my nose, and making use of other -gesticulations and grimaces common to men who, at ease in their -arm-chairs, meditate upon matters of intricacy or importance. Having, -as I thought, sufficiently collected my ideas, I now, with great caution -and deliberation, put my hands behind my back, and unfastened the large -iron buckle which belonged to the waistband of my inexpressibles. This -buckle had three teeth, which, being somewhat rusty, turned with great -difficulty on their axis. I brought them, however, after some trouble, -at right angles to the body of the buckle, and was glad to find them -remain firm in that position. Holding the instrument thus obtained -within my teeth, I now proceeded to untie the knot of my cravat. I had -to rest several times before I could accomplish this manoeuvre, but it -was at length accomplished. To one end of the cravat I then made fast -the buckle, and the other end I tied, for greater security, tightly -around my wrist. Drawing now my body upwards, with a prodigious exertion -of muscular force, I succeeded, at the very first trial, in throwing -the buckle over the car, and entangling it, as I had anticipated, in the -circular rim of the wicker-work. - -"My body was now inclined towards the side of the car, at an angle -of about forty-five degrees; but it must not be understood that I was -therefore only forty-five degrees below the perpendicular. So far from -it, I still lay nearly level with the plane of the horizon; for the -change of situation which I had acquired, had forced the bottom of the -car considerably outwards from my position, which was accordingly one -of the most imminent and deadly peril. It should be remembered, however, -that when I fell in the first instance, from the car, if I had fallen -with my face turned toward the balloon, instead of turned outwardly from -it, as it actually was; or if, in the second place, the cord by which -I was suspended had chanced to hang over the upper edge, instead of -through a crevice near the bottom of the car,--I say it may be readily -conceived that, in either of these supposed cases, I should have been -unable to accomplish even as much as I had now accomplished, and the -wonderful adventures of Hans Pfaall would have been utterly lost to -posterity, I had therefore every reason to be grateful; although, in -point of fact, I was still too stupid to be anything at all, and hung -for, perhaps, a quarter of an hour in that extraordinary manner, without -making the slightest farther exertion whatsoever, and in a singularly -tranquil state of idiotic enjoyment. But this feeling did not fail to -die rapidly away, and thereunto succeeded horror, and dismay, and a -chilling sense of utter helplessness and ruin. In fact, the blood so -long accumulating in the vessels of my head and throat, and which had -hitherto buoyed up my spirits with madness and delirium, had now begun -to retire within their proper channels, and the distinctness which was -thus added to my perception of the danger, merely served to deprive me -of the self-possession and courage to encounter it. But this weakness -was, luckily for me, of no very long duration. In good time came to my -rescue the spirit of despair, and, with frantic cries and struggles, I -jerked my way bodily upwards, till at length, clutching with a vise-like -grip the long-desired rim, I writhed my person over it, and fell -headlong and shuddering within the car. - -"It was not until some time afterward that I recovered myself -sufficiently to attend to the ordinary cares of the balloon. I then, -however, examined it with attention, and found it, to my great relief, -uninjured. My implements were all safe, and, fortunately, I had lost -neither ballast nor provisions. Indeed, I had so well secured them in -their places, that such an accident was entirely out of the question. -Looking at my watch, I found it six o'clock. I was still rapidly -ascending, and my barometer gave a present altitude of three and -three-quarter miles. Immediately beneath me in the ocean, lay a small -black object, slightly oblong in shape, seemingly about the size, and -in every way bearing a great resemblance to one of those childish -toys called a domino. Bringing my telescope to bear upon it, I plainly -discerned it to be a British ninety four-gun ship, close-hauled, and -pitching heavily in the sea with her head to the W.S.W. Besides this -ship, I saw nothing but the ocean and the sky, and the sun, which had -long arisen. - -"It is now high time that I should explain to your Excellencies the -object of my perilous voyage. Your Excellencies will bear in mind that -distressed circumstances in Rotterdam had at length driven me to the -resolution of committing suicide. It was not, however, that to life -itself I had any, positive disgust, but that I was harassed beyond -endurance by the adventitious miseries attending my situation. In this -state of mind, wishing to live, yet wearied with life, the treatise at -the stall of the bookseller opened a resource to my imagination. I then -finally made up my mind. I determined to depart, yet live--to leave the -world, yet continue to exist--in short, to drop enigmas, I resolved, let -what would ensue, to force a passage, if I could, to the moon. Now, lest -I should be supposed more of a madman than I actually am, I will detail, -as well as I am able, the considerations which led me to believe that -an achievement of this nature, although without doubt difficult, and -incontestably full of danger, was not absolutely, to a bold spirit, -beyond the confines of the possible. - -"The moon's actual distance from the earth was the first thing to be -attended to. Now, the mean or average interval between the centres of -the two planets is 59.9643 of the earth's equatorial radii, or only -about 237,000 miles. I say the mean or average interval. But it must -be borne in mind that the form of the moon's orbit being an ellipse of -eccentricity amounting to no less than 0.05484 of the major semi-axis of -the ellipse itself, and the earth's centre being situated in its focus, -if I could, in any manner, contrive to meet the moon, as it were, in its -perigee, the above mentioned distance would be materially diminished. -But, to say nothing at present of this possibility, it was very certain -that, at all events, from the 237,000 miles I would have to deduct the -radius of the earth, say 4,000, and the radius of the moon, say 1080, -in all 5,080, leaving an actual interval to be traversed, under average -circumstances, of 231,920 miles. Now this, I reflected, was no -very extraordinary distance. Travelling on land has been repeatedly -accomplished at the rate of thirty miles per hour, and indeed a much -greater speed may be anticipated. But even at this velocity, it would -take me no more than 322 days to reach the surface of the moon. There -were, however, many particulars inducing me to believe that my average -rate of travelling might possibly very much exceed that of thirty miles -per hour, and, as these considerations did not fail to make a deep -impression upon my mind, I will mention them more fully hereafter. - -"The next point to be regarded was a matter of far greater importance. -From indications afforded by the barometer, we find that, in ascensions -from the surface of the earth we have, at the height of 1,000 feet, left -below us about one-thirtieth of the entire mass of atmospheric air, that -at 10,600 we have ascended through nearly one-third; and that at 18,000, -which is not far from the elevation of Cotopaxi, we have surmounted -one-half the material, or, at all events, one-half the ponderable, -body of air incumbent upon our globe. It is also calculated that at an -altitude not exceeding the hundredth part of the earth's diameter--that -is, not exceeding eighty miles--the rarefaction would be so excessive -that animal life could in no manner be sustained, and, moreover, that -the most delicate means we possess of ascertaining the presence of the -atmosphere would be inadequate to assure us of its existence. But I -did not fail to perceive that these latter calculations are founded -altogether on our experimental knowledge of the properties of air, and -the mechanical laws regulating its dilation and compression, in what may -be called, comparatively speaking, the immediate vicinity of the earth -itself; and, at the same time, it is taken for granted that animal -life is and must be essentially incapable of modification at any given -unattainable distance from the surface. Now, all such reasoning and from -such data must, of course, be simply analogical. The greatest height -ever reached by man was that of 25,000 feet, attained in the aeronautic -expedition of Messieurs Gay-Lussac and Biot. This is a moderate -altitude, even when compared with the eighty miles in question; and I -could not help thinking that the subject admitted room for doubt and -great latitude for speculation. - -"But, in point of fact, an ascension being made to any given altitude, -the ponderable quantity of air surmounted in any farther ascension is -by no means in proportion to the additional height ascended (as may -be plainly seen from what has been stated before), but in a ratio -constantly decreasing. It is therefore evident that, ascend as high as -we may, we cannot, literally speaking, arrive at a limit beyond which -no atmosphere is to be found. It must exist, I argued; although it may -exist in a state of infinite rarefaction. - -"On the other hand, I was aware that arguments have not been wanting -to prove the existence of a real and definite limit to the atmosphere, -beyond which there is absolutely no air whatsoever. But a circumstance -which has been left out of view by those who contend for such a limit -seemed to me, although no positive refutation of their creed, still -a point worthy very serious investigation. On comparing the intervals -between the successive arrivals of Encke's comet at its perihelion, -after giving credit, in the most exact manner, for all the disturbances -due to the attractions of the planets, it appears that the periods are -gradually diminishing; that is to say, the major axis of the comet's -ellipse is growing shorter, in a slow but perfectly regular decrease. -Now, this is precisely what ought to be the case, if we suppose a -resistance experienced from the comet from an extremely rare ethereal -medium pervading the regions of its orbit. For it is evident that such -a medium must, in retarding the comet's velocity, increase its -centripetal, by weakening its centrifugal force. In other words, the -sun's attraction would be constantly attaining greater power, and the -comet would be drawn nearer at every revolution. Indeed, there is no -other way of accounting for the variation in question. But again. The -real diameter of the same comet's nebulosity is observed to contract -rapidly as it approaches the sun, and dilate with equal rapidity in its -departure towards its aphelion. Was I not justifiable in supposing with -M. Valz, that this apparent condensation of volume has its origin in -the compression of the same ethereal medium I have spoken of before, -and which is only denser in proportion to its solar vicinity? The -lenticular-shaped phenomenon, also called the zodiacal light, was a -matter worthy of attention. This radiance, so apparent in the tropics, -and which cannot be mistaken for any meteoric lustre, extends from the -horizon obliquely upward, and follows generally the direction of the -sun's equator. It appeared to me evidently in the nature of a rare -atmosphere extending from the sun outward, beyond the orbit of Venus at -least, and I believed indefinitely farther.(*2) Indeed, this medium I -could not suppose confined to the path of the comet's ellipse, or to -the immediate neighborhood of the sun. It was easy, on the contrary, -to imagine it pervading the entire regions of our planetary system, -condensed into what we call atmosphere at the planets themselves, and -perhaps at some of them modified by considerations, so to speak, purely -geological. - -"Having adopted this view of the subject, I had little further -hesitation. Granting that on my passage I should meet with atmosphere -essentially the same as at the surface of the earth, I conceived that, -by means of the very ingenious apparatus of M. Grimm, I should readily -be enabled to condense it in sufficient quantity for the purposes of -respiration. This would remove the chief obstacle in a journey to the -moon. I had indeed spent some money and great labor in adapting the -apparatus to the object intended, and confidently looked forward to its -successful application, if I could manage to complete the voyage within -any reasonable period. This brings me back to the rate at which it might -be possible to travel. - -"It is true that balloons, in the first stage of their ascensions from -the earth, are known to rise with a velocity comparatively moderate. -Now, the power of elevation lies altogether in the superior lightness of -the gas in the balloon compared with the atmospheric air; and, at -first sight, it does not appear probable that, as the balloon acquires -altitude, and consequently arrives successively in atmospheric strata -of densities rapidly diminishing--I say, it does not appear at all -reasonable that, in this its progress upwards, the original velocity -should be accelerated. On the other hand, I was not aware that, in any -recorded ascension, a diminution was apparent in the absolute rate -of ascent; although such should have been the case, if on account -of nothing else, on account of the escape of gas through balloons -ill-constructed, and varnished with no better material than the ordinary -varnish. It seemed, therefore, that the effect of such escape was only -sufficient to counterbalance the effect of some accelerating power. I -now considered that, provided in my passage I found the medium I -had imagined, and provided that it should prove to be actually -and essentially what we denominate atmospheric air, it could make -comparatively little difference at what extreme state of rarefaction -I should discover it--that is to say, in regard to my power of -ascending--for the gas in the balloon would not only be itself subject -to rarefaction partially similar (in proportion to the occurrence of -which, I could suffer an escape of so much as would be requisite to -prevent explosion), but, being what it was, would, at all events, -continue specifically lighter than any compound whatever of mere -nitrogen and oxygen. In the meantime, the force of gravitation would be -constantly diminishing, in proportion to the squares of the distances, -and thus, with a velocity prodigiously accelerating, I should at -length arrive in those distant regions where the force of the earth's -attraction would be superseded by that of the moon. In accordance with -these ideas, I did not think it worth while to encumber myself with more -provisions than would be sufficient for a period of forty days. - -"There was still, however, another difficulty, which occasioned me some -little disquietude. It has been observed, that, in balloon ascensions to -any considerable height, besides the pain attending respiration, great -uneasiness is experienced about the head and body, often accompanied -with bleeding at the nose, and other symptoms of an alarming kind, -and growing more and more inconvenient in proportion to the altitude -attained.(*3) This was a reflection of a nature somewhat startling. Was -it not probable that these symptoms would increase indefinitely, or at -least until terminated by death itself? I finally thought not. Their -origin was to be looked for in the progressive removal of the customary -atmospheric pressure upon the surface of the body, and consequent -distention of the superficial blood-vessels--not in any positive -disorganization of the animal system, as in the case of difficulty in -breathing, where the atmospheric density is chemically insufficient -for the due renovation of blood in a ventricle of the heart. Unless for -default of this renovation, I could see no reason, therefore, why -life could not be sustained even in a vacuum; for the expansion and -compression of chest, commonly called breathing, is action purely -muscular, and the cause, not the effect, of respiration. In a word, -I conceived that, as the body should become habituated to the want -of atmospheric pressure, the sensations of pain would gradually -diminish--and to endure them while they continued, I relied with -confidence upon the iron hardihood of my constitution. - -"Thus, may it please your Excellencies, I have detailed some, though by -no means all, the considerations which led me to form the project of -a lunar voyage. I shall now proceed to lay before you the result of an -attempt so apparently audacious in conception, and, at all events, so -utterly unparalleled in the annals of mankind. - -"Having attained the altitude before mentioned, that is to say three -miles and three-quarters, I threw out from the car a quantity of -feathers, and found that I still ascended with sufficient rapidity; -there was, therefore, no necessity for discharging any ballast. I was -glad of this, for I wished to retain with me as much weight as I could -carry, for reasons which will be explained in the sequel. I as yet -suffered no bodily inconvenience, breathing with great freedom, and -feeling no pain whatever in the head. The cat was lying very demurely -upon my coat, which I had taken off, and eyeing the pigeons with an air -of nonchalance. These latter being tied by the leg, to prevent their -escape, were busily employed in picking up some grains of rice scattered -for them in the bottom of the car. - -"At twenty minutes past six o'clock, the barometer showed an elevation -of 26,400 feet, or five miles to a fraction. The prospect seemed -unbounded. Indeed, it is very easily calculated by means of spherical -geometry, what a great extent of the earth's area I beheld. The convex -surface of any segment of a sphere is, to the entire surface of the -sphere itself, as the versed sine of the segment to the diameter of the -sphere. Now, in my case, the versed sine--that is to say, the thickness -of the segment beneath me--was about equal to my elevation, or the -elevation of the point of sight above the surface. 'As five miles, then, -to eight thousand,' would express the proportion of the earth's area -seen by me. In other words, I beheld as much as a sixteen-hundredth -part of the whole surface of the globe. The sea appeared unruffled as a -mirror, although, by means of the spy-glass, I could perceive it to be -in a state of violent agitation. The ship was no longer visible, having -drifted away, apparently to the eastward. I now began to experience, at -intervals, severe pain in the head, especially about the ears--still, -however, breathing with tolerable freedom. The cat and pigeons seemed to -suffer no inconvenience whatsoever. - -"At twenty minutes before seven, the balloon entered a long series of -dense cloud, which put me to great trouble, by damaging my condensing -apparatus and wetting me to the skin. This was, to be sure, a singular -recontre, for I had not believed it possible that a cloud of this nature -could be sustained at so great an elevation. I thought it best, however, -to throw out two five-pound pieces of ballast, reserving still a weight -of one hundred and sixty-five pounds. Upon so doing, I soon rose above -the difficulty, and perceived immediately, that I had obtained a great -increase in my rate of ascent. In a few seconds after my leaving the -cloud, a flash of vivid lightning shot from one end of it to the other, -and caused it to kindle up, throughout its vast extent, like a mass of -ignited and glowing charcoal. This, it must be remembered, was in the -broad light of day. No fancy may picture the sublimity which might have -been exhibited by a similar phenomenon taking place amid the darkness of -the night. Hell itself might have been found a fitting image. Even as -it was, my hair stood on end, while I gazed afar down within the yawning -abysses, letting imagination descend, as it were, and stalk about in the -strange vaulted halls, and ruddy gulfs, and red ghastly chasms of the -hideous and unfathomable fire. I had indeed made a narrow escape. Had -the balloon remained a very short while longer within the cloud--that -is to say--had not the inconvenience of getting wet, determined me to -discharge the ballast, inevitable ruin would have been the consequence. -Such perils, although little considered, are perhaps the greatest which -must be encountered in balloons. I had by this time, however, attained -too great an elevation to be any longer uneasy on this head. - -"I was now rising rapidly, and by seven o'clock the barometer indicated -an altitude of no less than nine miles and a half. I began to find great -difficulty in drawing my breath. My head, too, was excessively painful; -and, having felt for some time a moisture about my cheeks, I at length -discovered it to be blood, which was oozing quite fast from the drums of -my ears. My eyes, also, gave me great uneasiness. Upon passing the -hand over them they seemed to have protruded from their sockets in no -inconsiderable degree; and all objects in the car, and even the balloon -itself, appeared distorted to my vision. These symptoms were more than -I had expected, and occasioned me some alarm. At this juncture, very -imprudently, and without consideration, I threw out from the car three -five-pound pieces of ballast. The accelerated rate of ascent thus -obtained, carried me too rapidly, and without sufficient gradation, into -a highly rarefied stratum of the atmosphere, and the result had nearly -proved fatal to my expedition and to myself. I was suddenly seized with -a spasm which lasted for more than five minutes, and even when this, in -a measure, ceased, I could catch my breath only at long intervals, and -in a gasping manner--bleeding all the while copiously at the nose and -ears, and even slightly at the eyes. The pigeons appeared distressed -in the extreme, and struggled to escape; while the cat mewed piteously, -and, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth, staggered to and fro in -the car as if under the influence of poison. I now too late discovered -the great rashness of which I had been guilty in discharging the -ballast, and my agitation was excessive. I anticipated nothing less than -death, and death in a few minutes. The physical suffering I underwent -contributed also to render me nearly incapable of making any exertion -for the preservation of my life. I had, indeed, little power of -reflection left, and the violence of the pain in my head seemed to be -greatly on the increase. Thus I found that my senses would shortly give -way altogether, and I had already clutched one of the valve ropes with -the view of attempting a descent, when the recollection of the trick I -had played the three creditors, and the possible consequences to myself, -should I return, operated to deter me for the moment. I lay down in the -bottom of the car, and endeavored to collect my faculties. In this I -so far succeeded as to determine upon the experiment of losing blood. -Having no lancet, however, I was constrained to perform the operation in -the best manner I was able, and finally succeeded in opening a vein -in my right arm, with the blade of my penknife. The blood had hardly -commenced flowing when I experienced a sensible relief, and by the time -I had lost about half a moderate basin full, most of the worst symptoms -had abandoned me entirely. I nevertheless did not think it expedient to -attempt getting on my feet immediately; but, having tied up my arm as -well as I could, I lay still for about a quarter of an hour. At the end -of this time I arose, and found myself freer from absolute pain of any -kind than I had been during the last hour and a quarter of my ascension. -The difficulty of breathing, however, was diminished in a very slight -degree, and I found that it would soon be positively necessary to make -use of my condenser. In the meantime, looking toward the cat, who was -again snugly stowed away upon my coat, I discovered to my infinite -surprise, that she had taken the opportunity of my indisposition to -bring into light a litter of three little kittens. This was an addition -to the number of passengers on my part altogether unexpected; but I was -pleased at the occurrence. It would afford me a chance of bringing to a -kind of test the truth of a surmise, which, more than anything else, -had influenced me in attempting this ascension. I had imagined that the -habitual endurance of the atmospheric pressure at the surface of -the earth was the cause, or nearly so, of the pain attending animal -existence at a distance above the surface. Should the kittens be found -to suffer uneasiness in an equal degree with their mother, I must -consider my theory in fault, but a failure to do so I should look upon -as a strong confirmation of my idea. - -"By eight o'clock I had actually attained an elevation of seventeen -miles above the surface of the earth. Thus it seemed to me evident that -my rate of ascent was not only on the increase, but that the progression -would have been apparent in a slight degree even had I not discharged -the ballast which I did. The pains in my head and ears returned, at -intervals, with violence, and I still continued to bleed occasionally at -the nose; but, upon the whole, I suffered much less than might have -been expected. I breathed, however, at every moment, with more and -more difficulty, and each inhalation was attended with a troublesome -spasmodic action of the chest. I now unpacked the condensing apparatus, -and got it ready for immediate use. - -"The view of the earth, at this period of my ascension, was beautiful -indeed. To the westward, the northward, and the southward, as far as I -could see, lay a boundless sheet of apparently unruffled ocean, which -every moment gained a deeper and a deeper tint of blue and began already -to assume a slight appearance of convexity. At a vast distance to the -eastward, although perfectly discernible, extended the islands of Great -Britain, the entire Atlantic coasts of France and Spain, with a small -portion of the northern part of the continent of Africa. Of individual -edifices not a trace could be discovered, and the proudest cities of -mankind had utterly faded away from the face of the earth. From the rock -of Gibraltar, now dwindled into a dim speck, the dark Mediterranean sea, -dotted with shining islands as the heaven is dotted with stars, spread -itself out to the eastward as far as my vision extended, until its -entire mass of waters seemed at length to tumble headlong over the abyss -of the horizon, and I found myself listening on tiptoe for the echoes -of the mighty cataract. Overhead, the sky was of a jetty black, and the -stars were brilliantly visible. - -"The pigeons about this time seeming to undergo much suffering, I -determined upon giving them their liberty. I first untied one of them, -a beautiful gray-mottled pigeon, and placed him upon the rim of the -wicker-work. He appeared extremely uneasy, looking anxiously around him, -fluttering his wings, and making a loud cooing noise, but could not be -persuaded to trust himself from off the car. I took him up at last, -and threw him to about half a dozen yards from the balloon. He made, -however, no attempt to descend as I had expected, but struggled with -great vehemence to get back, uttering at the same time very shrill and -piercing cries. He at length succeeded in regaining his former station -on the rim, but had hardly done so when his head dropped upon his -breast, and he fell dead within the car. The other one did not prove so -unfortunate. To prevent his following the example of his companion, and -accomplishing a return, I threw him downward with all my force, and was -pleased to find him continue his descent, with great velocity, making -use of his wings with ease, and in a perfectly natural manner. In a very -short time he was out of sight, and I have no doubt he reached home in -safety. Puss, who seemed in a great measure recovered from her illness, -now made a hearty meal of the dead bird and then went to sleep with much -apparent satisfaction. Her kittens were quite lively, and so far evinced -not the slightest sign of any uneasiness whatever. - -"At a quarter-past eight, being no longer able to draw breath without -the most intolerable pain, I proceeded forthwith to adjust around -the car the apparatus belonging to the condenser. This apparatus will -require some little explanation, and your Excellencies will please to -bear in mind that my object, in the first place, was to surround myself -and cat entirely with a barricade against the highly rarefied atmosphere -in which I was existing, with the intention of introducing within this -barricade, by means of my condenser, a quantity of this same atmosphere -sufficiently condensed for the purposes of respiration. With this object -in view I had prepared a very strong perfectly air-tight, but flexible -gum-elastic bag. In this bag, which was of sufficient dimensions, the -entire car was in a manner placed. That is to say, it (the bag) was -drawn over the whole bottom of the car, up its sides, and so on, along -the outside of the ropes, to the upper rim or hoop where the net-work -is attached. Having pulled the bag up in this way, and formed a complete -enclosure on all sides, and at bottom, it was now necessary to fasten -up its top or mouth, by passing its material over the hoop of the -net-work--in other words, between the net-work and the hoop. But if the -net-work were separated from the hoop to admit this passage, what was -to sustain the car in the meantime? Now the net-work was not permanently -fastened to the hoop, but attached by a series of running loops or -nooses. I therefore undid only a few of these loops at one time, leaving -the car suspended by the remainder. Having thus inserted a portion of -the cloth forming the upper part of the bag, I refastened the loops--not -to the hoop, for that would have been impossible, since the cloth -now intervened--but to a series of large buttons, affixed to the cloth -itself, about three feet below the mouth of the bag, the intervals -between the buttons having been made to correspond to the intervals -between the loops. This done, a few more of the loops were unfastened -from the rim, a farther portion of the cloth introduced, and the -disengaged loops then connected with their proper buttons. In this way -it was possible to insert the whole upper part of the bag between the -net-work and the hoop. It is evident that the hoop would now drop down -within the car, while the whole weight of the car itself, with all its -contents, would be held up merely by the strength of the buttons. This, -at first sight, would seem an inadequate dependence; but it was by no -means so, for the buttons were not only very strong in themselves, but -so close together that a very slight portion of the whole weight was -supported by any one of them. Indeed, had the car and contents been -three times heavier than they were, I should not have been at -all uneasy. I now raised up the hoop again within the covering of -gum-elastic, and propped it at nearly its former height by means of -three light poles prepared for the occasion. This was done, of course, -to keep the bag distended at the top, and to preserve the lower part -of the net-work in its proper situation. All that now remained was to -fasten up the mouth of the enclosure; and this was readily accomplished -by gathering the folds of the material together, and twisting them up -very tightly on the inside by means of a kind of stationary tourniquet. - -"In the sides of the covering thus adjusted round the car, had been -inserted three circular panes of thick but clear glass, through which I -could see without difficulty around me in every horizontal direction. -In that portion of the cloth forming the bottom, was likewise, a fourth -window, of the same kind, and corresponding with a small aperture in the -floor of the car itself. This enabled me to see perpendicularly -down, but having found it impossible to place any similar contrivance -overhead, on account of the peculiar manner of closing up the opening -there, and the consequent wrinkles in the cloth, I could expect to see -no objects situated directly in my zenith. This, of course, was a matter -of little consequence; for had I even been able to place a window at -top, the balloon itself would have prevented my making any use of it. - -"About a foot below one of the side windows was a circular opening, -eight inches in diameter, and fitted with a brass rim adapted in its -inner edge to the windings of a screw. In this rim was screwed the large -tube of the condenser, the body of the machine being, of course, within -the chamber of gum-elastic. Through this tube a quantity of the rare -atmosphere circumjacent being drawn by means of a vacuum created in the -body of the machine, was thence discharged, in a state of condensation, -to mingle with the thin air already in the chamber. This operation being -repeated several times, at length filled the chamber with atmosphere -proper for all the purposes of respiration. But in so confined a space -it would, in a short time, necessarily become foul, and unfit for use -from frequent contact with the lungs. It was then ejected by a small -valve at the bottom of the car--the dense air readily sinking into the -thinner atmosphere below. To avoid the inconvenience of making a total -vacuum at any moment within the chamber, this purification was never -accomplished all at once, but in a gradual manner--the valve being -opened only for a few seconds, then closed again, until one or two -strokes from the pump of the condenser had supplied the place of the -atmosphere ejected. For the sake of experiment I had put the cat and -kittens in a small basket, and suspended it outside the car to a button -at the bottom, close by the valve, through which I could feed them at -any moment when necessary. I did this at some little risk, and before -closing the mouth of the chamber, by reaching under the car with one of -the poles before mentioned to which a hook had been attached. - -"By the time I had fully completed these arrangements and filled the -chamber as explained, it wanted only ten minutes of nine o'clock. During -the whole period of my being thus employed, I endured the most terrible -distress from difficulty of respiration, and bitterly did I repent the -negligence or rather fool-hardiness, of which I had been guilty, of -putting off to the last moment a matter of so much importance. But -having at length accomplished it, I soon began to reap the benefit of -my invention. Once again I breathed with perfect freedom and ease--and -indeed why should I not? I was also agreeably surprised to find myself, -in a great measure, relieved from the violent pains which had hitherto -tormented me. A slight headache, accompanied with a sensation of fulness -or distention about the wrists, the ankles, and the throat, was nearly -all of which I had now to complain. Thus it seemed evident that a -greater part of the uneasiness attending the removal of atmospheric -pressure had actually worn off, as I had expected, and that much of -the pain endured for the last two hours should have been attributed -altogether to the effects of a deficient respiration. - -"At twenty minutes before nine o'clock--that is to say, a short time -prior to my closing up the mouth of the chamber, the mercury attained -its limit, or ran down, in the barometer, which, as I mentioned before, -was one of an extended construction. It then indicated an altitude on -my part of 132,000 feet, or five-and-twenty miles, and I consequently -surveyed at that time an extent of the earth's area amounting to no less -than the three hundred-and-twentieth part of its entire superficies. -At nine o'clock I had again lost sight of land to the eastward, but not -before I became aware that the balloon was drifting rapidly to the N. -N. W. The convexity of the ocean beneath me was very evident indeed, -although my view was often interrupted by the masses of cloud which -floated to and fro. I observed now that even the lightest vapors never -rose to more than ten miles above the level of the sea. - -"At half past nine I tried the experiment of throwing out a handful of -feathers through the valve. They did not float as I had expected; but -dropped down perpendicularly, like a bullet, en masse, and with the -greatest velocity--being out of sight in a very few seconds. I did not -at first know what to make of this extraordinary phenomenon; not being -able to believe that my rate of ascent had, of a sudden, met with -so prodigious an acceleration. But it soon occurred to me that the -atmosphere was now far too rare to sustain even the feathers; that they -actually fell, as they appeared to do, with great rapidity; and that I -had been surprised by the united velocities of their descent and my own -elevation. - -"By ten o'clock I found that I had very little to occupy my immediate -attention. Affairs went swimmingly, and I believed the balloon to be -going upward with a speed increasing momently although I had no longer -any means of ascertaining the progression of the increase. I suffered no -pain or uneasiness of any kind, and enjoyed better spirits than I had -at any period since my departure from Rotterdam, busying myself now in -examining the state of my various apparatus, and now in regenerating the -atmosphere within the chamber. This latter point I determined to -attend to at regular intervals of forty minutes, more on account of -the preservation of my health, than from so frequent a renovation -being absolutely necessary. In the meanwhile I could not help making -anticipations. Fancy revelled in the wild and dreamy regions of the -moon. Imagination, feeling herself for once unshackled, roamed at will -among the ever-changing wonders of a shadowy and unstable land. Now -there were hoary and time-honored forests, and craggy precipices, and -waterfalls tumbling with a loud noise into abysses without a bottom. -Then I came suddenly into still noonday solitudes, where no wind of -heaven ever intruded, and where vast meadows of poppies, and slender, -lily-looking flowers spread themselves out a weary distance, all silent -and motionless forever. Then again I journeyed far down away into -another country where it was all one dim and vague lake, with a boundary -line of clouds. And out of this melancholy water arose a forest of tall -eastern trees, like a wilderness of dreams. And I have in mind that -the shadows of the trees which fell upon the lake remained not on -the surface where they fell, but sunk slowly and steadily down, and -commingled with the waves, while from the trunks of the trees other -shadows were continually coming out, and taking the place of their -brothers thus entombed. "This then," I said thoughtfully, "is the very -reason why the waters of this lake grow blacker with age, and more -melancholy as the hours run on." But fancies such as these were not the -sole possessors of my brain. Horrors of a nature most stern and most -appalling would too frequently obtrude themselves upon my mind, and -shake the innermost depths of my soul with the bare supposition of their -possibility. Yet I would not suffer my thoughts for any length of time -to dwell upon these latter speculations, rightly judging the real and -palpable dangers of the voyage sufficient for my undivided attention. - -"At five o'clock, p.m., being engaged in regenerating the atmosphere -within the chamber, I took that opportunity of observing the cat and -kittens through the valve. The cat herself appeared to suffer again very -much, and I had no hesitation in attributing her uneasiness chiefly to a -difficulty in breathing; but my experiment with the kittens had resulted -very strangely. I had expected, of course, to see them betray a sense of -pain, although in a less degree than their mother, and this would have -been sufficient to confirm my opinion concerning the habitual endurance -of atmospheric pressure. But I was not prepared to find them, upon close -examination, evidently enjoying a high degree of health, breathing with -the greatest ease and perfect regularity, and evincing not the slightest -sign of any uneasiness whatever. I could only account for all this by -extending my theory, and supposing that the highly rarefied atmosphere -around might perhaps not be, as I had taken for granted, chemically -insufficient for the purposes of life, and that a person born in such -a medium might, possibly, be unaware of any inconvenience attending its -inhalation, while, upon removal to the denser strata near the earth, -he might endure tortures of a similar nature to those I had so lately -experienced. It has since been to me a matter of deep regret that an -awkward accident, at this time, occasioned me the loss of my little -family of cats, and deprived me of the insight into this matter which a -continued experiment might have afforded. In passing my hand through -the valve, with a cup of water for the old puss, the sleeves of my shirt -became entangled in the loop which sustained the basket, and thus, in -a moment, loosened it from the bottom. Had the whole actually vanished -into air, it could not have shot from my sight in a more abrupt and -instantaneous manner. Positively, there could not have intervened the -tenth part of a second between the disengagement of the basket and its -absolute and total disappearance with all that it contained. My good -wishes followed it to the earth, but of course, I had no hope that -either cat or kittens would ever live to tell the tale of their -misfortune. - -"At six o'clock, I perceived a great portion of the earth's visible area -to the eastward involved in thick shadow, which continued to advance -with great rapidity, until, at five minutes before seven, the whole -surface in view was enveloped in the darkness of night. It was not, -however, until long after this time that the rays of the setting sun -ceased to illumine the balloon; and this circumstance, although of -course fully anticipated, did not fail to give me an infinite deal -of pleasure. It was evident that, in the morning, I should behold the -rising luminary many hours at least before the citizens of Rotterdam, in -spite of their situation so much farther to the eastward, and thus, day -after day, in proportion to the height ascended, would I enjoy the light -of the sun for a longer and a longer period. I now determined to keep a -journal of my passage, reckoning the days from one to twenty-four -hours continuously, without taking into consideration the intervals of -darkness. - -"At ten o'clock, feeling sleepy, I determined to lie down for the rest -of the night; but here a difficulty presented itself, which, obvious as -it may appear, had escaped my attention up to the very moment of which -I am now speaking. If I went to sleep as I proposed, how could the -atmosphere in the chamber be regenerated in the interim? To breathe -it for more than an hour, at the farthest, would be a matter of -impossibility, or, if even this term could be extended to an hour and a -quarter, the most ruinous consequences might ensue. The consideration -of this dilemma gave me no little disquietude; and it will hardly be -believed, that, after the dangers I had undergone, I should look -upon this business in so serious a light, as to give up all hope of -accomplishing my ultimate design, and finally make up my mind to the -necessity of a descent. But this hesitation was only momentary. I -reflected that man is the veriest slave of custom, and that many points -in the routine of his existence are deemed essentially important, which -are only so at all by his having rendered them habitual. It was very -certain that I could not do without sleep; but I might easily bring -myself to feel no inconvenience from being awakened at intervals of an -hour during the whole period of my repose. It would require but five -minutes at most to regenerate the atmosphere in the fullest manner, and -the only real difficulty was to contrive a method of arousing myself -at the proper moment for so doing. But this was a question which, I am -willing to confess, occasioned me no little trouble in its solution. To -be sure, I had heard of the student who, to prevent his falling asleep -over his books, held in one hand a ball of copper, the din of whose -descent into a basin of the same metal on the floor beside his chair, -served effectually to startle him up, if, at any moment, he should -be overcome with drowsiness. My own case, however, was very different -indeed, and left me no room for any similar idea; for I did not wish to -keep awake, but to be aroused from slumber at regular intervals of time. -I at length hit upon the following expedient, which, simple as it may -seem, was hailed by me, at the moment of discovery, as an invention -fully equal to that of the telescope, the steam-engine, or the art of -printing itself. - -"It is necessary to premise, that the balloon, at the elevation now -attained, continued its course upward with an even and undeviating -ascent, and the car consequently followed with a steadiness so perfect -that it would have been impossible to detect in it the slightest -vacillation whatever. This circumstance favored me greatly in the -project I now determined to adopt. My supply of water had been put on -board in kegs containing five gallons each, and ranged very securely -around the interior of the car. I unfastened one of these, and taking -two ropes tied them tightly across the rim of the wicker-work from one -side to the other; placing them about a foot apart and parallel so as to -form a kind of shelf, upon which I placed the keg, and steadied it in a -horizontal position. About eight inches immediately below these ropes, -and four feet from the bottom of the car I fastened another shelf--but -made of thin plank, being the only similar piece of wood I had. Upon -this latter shelf, and exactly beneath one of the rims of the keg, a -small earthern pitcher was deposited. I now bored a hole in the end of -the keg over the pitcher, and fitted in a plug of soft wood, cut in a -tapering or conical shape. This plug I pushed in or pulled out, as might -happen, until, after a few experiments, it arrived at that exact degree -of tightness, at which the water, oozing from the hole, and falling into -the pitcher below, would fill the latter to the brim in the period -of sixty minutes. This, of course, was a matter briefly and easily -ascertained, by noticing the proportion of the pitcher filled in any -given time. Having arranged all this, the rest of the plan is obvious. -My bed was so contrived upon the floor of the car, as to bring my -head, in lying down, immediately below the mouth of the pitcher. It was -evident, that, at the expiration of an hour, the pitcher, getting full, -would be forced to run over, and to run over at the mouth, which was -somewhat lower than the rim. It was also evident, that the water thus -falling from a height of more than four feet, could not do otherwise -than fall upon my face, and that the sure consequences would be, to -waken me up instantaneously, even from the soundest slumber in the -world. - -"It was fully eleven by the time I had completed these arrangements, -and I immediately betook myself to bed, with full confidence in the -efficiency of my invention. Nor in this matter was I disappointed. -Punctually every sixty minutes was I aroused by my trusty chronometer, -when, having emptied the pitcher into the bung-hole of the keg, and -performed the duties of the condenser, I retired again to bed. These -regular interruptions to my slumber caused me even less discomfort than -I had anticipated; and when I finally arose for the day, it was seven -o'clock, and the sun had attained many degrees above the line of my -horizon. - -"April 3d. I found the balloon at an immense height indeed, and the -earth's apparent convexity increased in a material degree. Below me in -the ocean lay a cluster of black specks, which undoubtedly were islands. -Far away to the northward I perceived a thin, white, and exceedingly -brilliant line, or streak, on the edge of the horizon, and I had no -hesitation in supposing it to be the southern disk of the ices of the -Polar Sea. My curiosity was greatly excited, for I had hopes of passing -on much farther to the north, and might possibly, at some period, find -myself placed directly above the Pole itself. I now lamented that my -great elevation would, in this case, prevent my taking as accurate a -survey as I could wish. Much, however, might be ascertained. Nothing -else of an extraordinary nature occurred during the day. My apparatus -all continued in good order, and the balloon still ascended without any -perceptible vacillation. The cold was intense, and obliged me to wrap -up closely in an overcoat. When darkness came over the earth, I betook -myself to bed, although it was for many hours afterward broad daylight -all around my immediate situation. The water-clock was punctual in its -duty, and I slept until next morning soundly, with the exception of the -periodical interruption. - -"April 4th. Arose in good health and spirits, and was astonished at the -singular change which had taken place in the appearance of the sea. -It had lost, in a great measure, the deep tint of blue it had hitherto -worn, being now of a grayish-white, and of a lustre dazzling to the eye. -The islands were no longer visible; whether they had passed down the -horizon to the southeast, or whether my increasing elevation had left -them out of sight, it is impossible to say. I was inclined, however, to -the latter opinion. The rim of ice to the northward was growing more -and more apparent. Cold by no means so intense. Nothing of importance -occurred, and I passed the day in reading, having taken care to supply -myself with books. - -"April 5th. Beheld the singular phenomenon of the sun rising while -nearly the whole visible surface of the earth continued to be involved -in darkness. In time, however, the light spread itself over all, and I -again saw the line of ice to the northward. It was now very distinct, -and appeared of a much darker hue than the waters of the ocean. I was -evidently approaching it, and with great rapidity. Fancied I could -again distinguish a strip of land to the eastward, and one also to the -westward, but could not be certain. Weather moderate. Nothing of any -consequence happened during the day. Went early to bed. - -"April 6th. Was surprised at finding the rim of ice at a very moderate -distance, and an immense field of the same material stretching away off -to the horizon in the north. It was evident that if the balloon held its -present course, it would soon arrive above the Frozen Ocean, and I had -now little doubt of ultimately seeing the Pole. During the whole of the -day I continued to near the ice. Toward night the limits of my horizon -very suddenly and materially increased, owing undoubtedly to the -earth's form being that of an oblate spheroid, and my arriving above the -flattened regions in the vicinity of the Arctic circle. When darkness at -length overtook me, I went to bed in great anxiety, fearing to pass over -the object of so much curiosity when I should have no opportunity of -observing it. - -"April 7th. Arose early, and, to my great joy, at length beheld what -there could be no hesitation in supposing the northern Pole itself. It -was there, beyond a doubt, and immediately beneath my feet; but, alas! I -had now ascended to so vast a distance, that nothing could with accuracy -be discerned. Indeed, to judge from the progression of the numbers -indicating my various altitudes, respectively, at different periods, -between six A.M. on the second of April, and twenty minutes before nine -A.M. of the same day (at which time the barometer ran down), it might be -fairly inferred that the balloon had now, at four o'clock in the morning -of April the seventh, reached a height of not less, certainly, than -7,254 miles above the surface of the sea. This elevation may appear -immense, but the estimate upon which it is calculated gave a result in -all probability far inferior to the truth. At all events I undoubtedly -beheld the whole of the earth's major diameter; the entire northern -hemisphere lay beneath me like a chart orthographically projected: and -the great circle of the equator itself formed the boundary line of -my horizon. Your Excellencies may, however, readily imagine that the -confined regions hitherto unexplored within the limits of the Arctic -circle, although situated directly beneath me, and therefore seen -without any appearance of being foreshortened, were still, in -themselves, comparatively too diminutive, and at too great a distance -from the point of sight, to admit of any very accurate examination. -Nevertheless, what could be seen was of a nature singular and exciting. -Northwardly from that huge rim before mentioned, and which, with slight -qualification, may be called the limit of human discovery in these -regions, one unbroken, or nearly unbroken, sheet of ice continues to -extend. In the first few degrees of this its progress, its surface is -very sensibly flattened, farther on depressed into a plane, and finally, -becoming not a little concave, it terminates, at the Pole itself, in a -circular centre, sharply defined, whose apparent diameter subtended at -the balloon an angle of about sixty-five seconds, and whose dusky hue, -varying in intensity, was, at all times, darker than any other spot upon -the visible hemisphere, and occasionally deepened into the most -absolute and impenetrable blackness. Farther than this, little could -be ascertained. By twelve o'clock the circular centre had materially -decreased in circumference, and by seven P.M. I lost sight of it -entirely; the balloon passing over the western limb of the ice, and -floating away rapidly in the direction of the equator. - -"April 8th. Found a sensible diminution in the earth's apparent -diameter, besides a material alteration in its general color and -appearance. The whole visible area partook in different degrees of a -tint of pale yellow, and in some portions had acquired a brilliancy even -painful to the eye. My view downward was also considerably impeded by -the dense atmosphere in the vicinity of the surface being loaded with -clouds, between whose masses I could only now and then obtain a glimpse -of the earth itself. This difficulty of direct vision had troubled me -more or less for the last forty-eight hours; but my present enormous -elevation brought closer together, as it were, the floating bodies of -vapor, and the inconvenience became, of course, more and more palpable -in proportion to my ascent. Nevertheless, I could easily perceive that -the balloon now hovered above the range of great lakes in the continent -of North America, and was holding a course, due south, which would bring -me to the tropics. This circumstance did not fail to give me the most -heartful satisfaction, and I hailed it as a happy omen of ultimate -success. Indeed, the direction I had hitherto taken, had filled me with -uneasiness; for it was evident that, had I continued it much longer, -there would have been no possibility of my arriving at the moon at all, -whose orbit is inclined to the ecliptic at only the small angle of 5 -degrees 8' 48". - -"April 9th. To-day the earth's diameter was greatly diminished, and the -color of the surface assumed hourly a deeper tint of yellow. The balloon -kept steadily on her course to the southward, and arrived, at nine P.M., -over the northern edge of the Mexican Gulf. - -"April 10th. I was suddenly aroused from slumber, about five o'clock -this morning, by a loud, crackling, and terrific sound, for which I -could in no manner account. It was of very brief duration, but, while -it lasted resembled nothing in the world of which I had any previous -experience. It is needless to say that I became excessively alarmed, -having, in the first instance, attributed the noise to the bursting of -the balloon. I examined all my apparatus, however, with great attention, -and could discover nothing out of order. Spent a great part of the day -in meditating upon an occurrence so extraordinary, but could find no -means whatever of accounting for it. Went to bed dissatisfied, and in a -state of great anxiety and agitation. - -"April 11th. Found a startling diminution in the apparent diameter of -the earth, and a considerable increase, now observable for the first -time, in that of the moon itself, which wanted only a few days of being -full. It now required long and excessive labor to condense within the -chamber sufficient atmospheric air for the sustenance of life. - -"April 12th. A singular alteration took place in regard to the direction -of the balloon, and although fully anticipated, afforded me the most -unequivocal delight. Having reached, in its former course, about the -twentieth parallel of southern latitude, it turned off suddenly, at an -acute angle, to the eastward, and thus proceeded throughout the day, -keeping nearly, if not altogether, in the exact plane of the lunar -elipse. What was worthy of remark, a very perceptible vacillation in -the car was a consequence of this change of route--a vacillation which -prevailed, in a more or less degree, for a period of many hours. - -"April 13th. Was again very much alarmed by a repetition of the loud, -crackling noise which terrified me on the tenth. Thought long upon -the subject, but was unable to form any satisfactory conclusion. Great -decrease in the earth's apparent diameter, which now subtended from the -balloon an angle of very little more than twenty-five degrees. The moon -could not be seen at all, being nearly in my zenith. I still continued -in the plane of the elipse, but made little progress to the eastward. - -"April 14th. Extremely rapid decrease in the diameter of the earth. -To-day I became strongly impressed with the idea, that the balloon was -now actually running up the line of apsides to the point of perigee--in -other words, holding the direct course which would bring it immediately -to the moon in that part of its orbit the nearest to the earth. The moon -itself was directly overhead, and consequently hidden from my view. -Great and long-continued labor necessary for the condensation of the -atmosphere. - -"April 15th. Not even the outlines of continents and seas could now -be traced upon the earth with anything approaching distinctness. About -twelve o'clock I became aware, for the third time, of that appalling -sound which had so astonished me before. It now, however, continued for -some moments, and gathered intensity as it continued. At length, while, -stupefied and terror-stricken, I stood in expectation of I knew not what -hideous destruction, the car vibrated with excessive violence, and -a gigantic and flaming mass of some material which I could not -distinguish, came with a voice of a thousand thunders, roaring and -booming by the balloon. When my fears and astonishment had in some -degree subsided, I had little difficulty in supposing it to be some -mighty volcanic fragment ejected from that world to which I was so -rapidly approaching, and, in all probability, one of that singular class -of substances occasionally picked up on the earth, and termed meteoric -stones for want of a better appellation. - -"April 16th. To-day, looking upward as well as I could, through each -of the side windows alternately, I beheld, to my great delight, a very -small portion of the moon's disk protruding, as it were, on all sides -beyond the huge circumference of the balloon. My agitation was extreme; -for I had now little doubt of soon reaching the end of my perilous -voyage. Indeed, the labor now required by the condenser had increased -to a most oppressive degree, and allowed me scarcely any respite from -exertion. Sleep was a matter nearly out of the question. I became quite -ill, and my frame trembled with exhaustion. It was impossible that human -nature could endure this state of intense suffering much longer. During -the now brief interval of darkness a meteoric stone again passed in my -vicinity, and the frequency of these phenomena began to occasion me much -apprehension. - -"April 17th. This morning proved an epoch in my voyage. It will be -remembered that, on the thirteenth, the earth subtended an angular -breadth of twenty-five degrees. On the fourteenth this had greatly -diminished; on the fifteenth a still more remarkable decrease was -observable; and, on retiring on the night of the sixteenth, I had -noticed an angle of no more than about seven degrees and fifteen -minutes. What, therefore, must have been my amazement, on awakening -from a brief and disturbed slumber, on the morning of this day, -the seventeenth, at finding the surface beneath me so suddenly and -wonderfully augmented in volume, as to subtend no less than thirty-nine -degrees in apparent angular diameter! I was thunderstruck! No words -can give any adequate idea of the extreme, the absolute horror and -astonishment, with which I was seized possessed, and altogether -overwhelmed. My knees tottered beneath me--my teeth chattered--my hair -started up on end. "The balloon, then, had actually burst!" These were -the first tumultuous ideas that hurried through my mind: "The balloon -had positively burst!--I was falling--falling with the most impetuous, -the most unparalleled velocity! To judge by the immense distance already -so quickly passed over, it could not be more than ten minutes, at the -farthest, before I should meet the surface of the earth, and be hurled -into annihilation!" But at length reflection came to my relief. I -paused; I considered; and I began to doubt. The matter was impossible. -I could not in any reason have so rapidly come down. Besides, although -I was evidently approaching the surface below me, it was with a speed -by no means commensurate with the velocity I had at first so horribly -conceived. This consideration served to calm the perturbation of my -mind, and I finally succeeded in regarding the phenomenon in its proper -point of view. In fact, amazement must have fairly deprived me of my -senses, when I could not see the vast difference, in appearance, between -the surface below me, and the surface of my mother earth. The latter -was indeed over my head, and completely hidden by the balloon, while the -moon--the moon itself in all its glory--lay beneath me, and at my feet. - -"The stupor and surprise produced in my mind by this extraordinary -change in the posture of affairs was perhaps, after all, that part of -the adventure least susceptible of explanation. For the bouleversement -in itself was not only natural and inevitable, but had been long -actually anticipated as a circumstance to be expected whenever I should -arrive at that exact point of my voyage where the attraction of the -planet should be superseded by the attraction of the satellite--or, more -precisely, where the gravitation of the balloon toward the earth should -be less powerful than its gravitation toward the moon. To be sure I -arose from a sound slumber, with all my senses in confusion, to the -contemplation of a very startling phenomenon, and one which, although -expected, was not expected at the moment. The revolution itself must, of -course, have taken place in an easy and gradual manner, and it is by no -means clear that, had I even been awake at the time of the occurrence, -I should have been made aware of it by any internal evidence of an -inversion--that is to say, by any inconvenience or disarrangement, -either about my person or about my apparatus. - -"It is almost needless to say that, upon coming to a due sense of my -situation, and emerging from the terror which had absorbed every faculty -of my soul, my attention was, in the first place, wholly directed to -the contemplation of the general physical appearance of the moon. It -lay beneath me like a chart--and although I judged it to be still at no -inconsiderable distance, the indentures of its surface were defined -to my vision with a most striking and altogether unaccountable -distinctness. The entire absence of ocean or sea, and indeed of any lake -or river, or body of water whatsoever, struck me, at first glance, as -the most extraordinary feature in its geological condition. Yet, strange -to say, I beheld vast level regions of a character decidedly alluvial, -although by far the greater portion of the hemisphere in sight was -covered with innumerable volcanic mountains, conical in shape, and -having more the appearance of artificial than of natural protuberance. -The highest among them does not exceed three and three-quarter miles -in perpendicular elevation; but a map of the volcanic districts of the -Campi Phlegraei would afford to your Excellencies a better idea of their -general surface than any unworthy description I might think proper to -attempt. The greater part of them were in a state of evident eruption, -and gave me fearfully to understand their fury and their power, by the -repeated thunders of the miscalled meteoric stones, which now rushed -upward by the balloon with a frequency more and more appalling. - -"April 18th. To-day I found an enormous increase in the moon's apparent -bulk--and the evidently accelerated velocity of my descent began to fill -me with alarm. It will be remembered, that, in the earliest stage of -my speculations upon the possibility of a passage to the moon, the -existence, in its vicinity, of an atmosphere, dense in proportion to the -bulk of the planet, had entered largely into my calculations; this too -in spite of many theories to the contrary, and, it may be added, in -spite of a general disbelief in the existence of any lunar atmosphere at -all. But, in addition to what I have already urged in regard to Encke's -comet and the zodiacal light, I had been strengthened in my opinion by -certain observations of Mr. Schroeter, of Lilienthal. He observed the -moon when two days and a half old, in the evening soon after sunset, -before the dark part was visible, and continued to watch it until it -became visible. The two cusps appeared tapering in a very sharp faint -prolongation, each exhibiting its farthest extremity faintly illuminated -by the solar rays, before any part of the dark hemisphere was -visible. Soon afterward, the whole dark limb became illuminated. This -prolongation of the cusps beyond the semicircle, I thought, must have -arisen from the refraction of the sun's rays by the moon's atmosphere. I -computed, also, the height of the atmosphere (which could refract light -enough into its dark hemisphere to produce a twilight more luminous than -the light reflected from the earth when the moon is about 32 degrees -from the new) to be 1,356 Paris feet; in this view, I supposed the -greatest height capable of refracting the solar ray, to be 5,376 feet. -My ideas on this topic had also received confirmation by a passage in -the eighty-second volume of the Philosophical Transactions, in which -it is stated that at an occultation of Jupiter's satellites, the third -disappeared after having been about 1" or 2" of time indistinct, and the -fourth became indiscernible near the limb.(*4) - -"Cassini frequently observed Saturn, Jupiter, and the fixed stars, -when approaching the moon to occultation, to have their circular figure -changed into an oval one; and, in other occultations, he found no -alteration of figure at all. Hence it might be supposed, that at some -times and not at others, there is a dense matter encompassing the moon -wherein the rays of the stars are refracted. - -"Upon the resistance or, more properly, upon the support of an -atmosphere, existing in the state of density imagined, I had, of course, -entirely depended for the safety of my ultimate descent. Should I then, -after all, prove to have been mistaken, I had in consequence nothing -better to expect, as a finale to my adventure, than being dashed into -atoms against the rugged surface of the satellite. And, indeed, I -had now every reason to be terrified. My distance from the moon was -comparatively trifling, while the labor required by the condenser was -diminished not at all, and I could discover no indication whatever of a -decreasing rarity in the air. - -"April 19th. This morning, to my great joy, about nine o'clock, the -surface of the moon being frightfully near, and my apprehensions excited -to the utmost, the pump of my condenser at length gave evident tokens -of an alteration in the atmosphere. By ten, I had reason to believe -its density considerably increased. By eleven, very little labor was -necessary at the apparatus; and at twelve o'clock, with some hesitation, -I ventured to unscrew the tourniquet, when, finding no inconvenience -from having done so, I finally threw open the gum-elastic chamber, and -unrigged it from around the car. As might have been expected, spasms -and violent headache were the immediate consequences of an experiment -so precipitate and full of danger. But these and other difficulties -attending respiration, as they were by no means so great as to put me -in peril of my life, I determined to endure as I best could, in -consideration of my leaving them behind me momently in my approach -to the denser strata near the moon. This approach, however, was still -impetuous in the extreme; and it soon became alarmingly certain that, -although I had probably not been deceived in the expectation of an -atmosphere dense in proportion to the mass of the satellite, still I -had been wrong in supposing this density, even at the surface, at all -adequate to the support of the great weight contained in the car of my -balloon. Yet this should have been the case, and in an equal degree -as at the surface of the earth, the actual gravity of bodies at either -planet supposed in the ratio of the atmospheric condensation. That -it was not the case, however, my precipitous downfall gave testimony -enough; why it was not so, can only be explained by a reference to those -possible geological disturbances to which I have formerly alluded. At -all events I was now close upon the planet, and coming down with the -most terrible impetuosity. I lost not a moment, accordingly, in throwing -overboard first my ballast, then my water-kegs, then my condensing -apparatus and gum-elastic chamber, and finally every article within the -car. But it was all to no purpose. I still fell with horrible rapidity, -and was now not more than half a mile from the surface. As a last -resource, therefore, having got rid of my coat, hat, and boots, I cut -loose from the balloon the car itself, which was of no inconsiderable -weight, and thus, clinging with both hands to the net-work, I had barely -time to observe that the whole country, as far as the eye could reach, -was thickly interspersed with diminutive habitations, ere I tumbled -headlong into the very heart of a fantastical-looking city, and into the -middle of a vast crowd of ugly little people, who none of them uttered -a single syllable, or gave themselves the least trouble to render me -assistance, but stood, like a parcel of idiots, grinning in a ludicrous -manner, and eyeing me and my balloon askant, with their arms set -a-kimbo. I turned from them in contempt, and, gazing upward at the earth -so lately left, and left perhaps for ever, beheld it like a huge, dull, -copper shield, about two degrees in diameter, fixed immovably in the -heavens overhead, and tipped on one of its edges with a crescent -border of the most brilliant gold. No traces of land or water could be -discovered, and the whole was clouded with variable spots, and belted -with tropical and equatorial zones. - -"Thus, may it please your Excellencies, after a series of great -anxieties, unheard of dangers, and unparalleled escapes, I had, at -length, on the nineteenth day of my departure from Rotterdam, arrived in -safety at the conclusion of a voyage undoubtedly the most extraordinary, -and the most momentous, ever accomplished, undertaken, or conceived by -any denizen of earth. But my adventures yet remain to be related. And -indeed your Excellencies may well imagine that, after a residence of -five years upon a planet not only deeply interesting in its own peculiar -character, but rendered doubly so by its intimate connection, in -capacity of satellite, with the world inhabited by man, I may have -intelligence for the private ear of the States' College of Astronomers -of far more importance than the details, however wonderful, of the mere -voyage which so happily concluded. This is, in fact, the case. I -have much--very much which it would give me the greatest pleasure to -communicate. I have much to say of the climate of the planet; of its -wonderful alternations of heat and cold, of unmitigated and burning -sunshine for one fortnight, and more than polar frigidity for the next; -of a constant transfer of moisture, by distillation like that in vacuo, -from the point beneath the sun to the point the farthest from it; of -a variable zone of running water, of the people themselves; of their -manners, customs, and political institutions; of their peculiar physical -construction; of their ugliness; of their want of ears, those useless -appendages in an atmosphere so peculiarly modified; of their consequent -ignorance of the use and properties of speech; of their substitute -for speech in a singular method of inter-communication; of the -incomprehensible connection between each particular individual in -the moon with some particular individual on the earth--a connection -analogous with, and depending upon, that of the orbs of the planet and -the satellites, and by means of which the lives and destinies of the -inhabitants of the one are interwoven with the lives and destinies -of the inhabitants of the other; and above all, if it so please your -Excellencies--above all, of those dark and hideous mysteries which lie -in the outer regions of the moon--regions which, owing to the almost -miraculous accordance of the satellite's rotation on its own axis with -its sidereal revolution about the earth, have never yet been turned, -and, by God's mercy, never shall be turned, to the scrutiny of the -telescopes of man. All this, and more--much more--would I most -willingly detail. But, to be brief, I must have my reward. I am pining -for a return to my family and to my home, and as the price of any -farther communication on my part--in consideration of the light which -I have it in my power to throw upon many very important branches of -physical and metaphysical science--I must solicit, through the influence -of your honorable body, a pardon for the crime of which I have been -guilty in the death of the creditors upon my departure from Rotterdam. -This, then, is the object of the present paper. Its bearer, an -inhabitant of the moon, whom I have prevailed upon, and properly -instructed, to be my messenger to the earth, will await your -Excellencies' pleasure, and return to me with the pardon in question, if -it can, in any manner, be obtained. - -"I have the honor to be, etc., your Excellencies' very humble servant, - -"HANS PFAALL." - -Upon finishing the perusal of this very extraordinary document, -Professor Rub-a-dub, it is said, dropped his pipe upon the ground in -the extremity of his surprise, and Mynheer Superbus Von Underduk having -taken off his spectacles, wiped them, and deposited them in his pocket, -so far forgot both himself and his dignity, as to turn round three times -upon his heel in the quintessence of astonishment and admiration. There -was no doubt about the matter--the pardon should be obtained. So at -least swore, with a round oath, Professor Rub-a-dub, and so finally -thought the illustrious Von Underduk, as he took the arm of his brother -in science, and without saying a word, began to make the best of his way -home to deliberate upon the measures to be adopted. Having reached the -door, however, of the burgomaster's dwelling, the professor ventured to -suggest that as the messenger had thought proper to disappear--no -doubt frightened to death by the savage appearance of the burghers of -Rotterdam--the pardon would be of little use, as no one but a man of -the moon would undertake a voyage to so vast a distance. To the truth of -this observation the burgomaster assented, and the matter was therefore -at an end. Not so, however, rumors and speculations. The letter, having -been published, gave rise to a variety of gossip and opinion. Some of -the over-wise even made themselves ridiculous by decrying the whole -business; as nothing better than a hoax. But hoax, with these sort -of people, is, I believe, a general term for all matters above their -comprehension. For my part, I cannot conceive upon what data they have -founded such an accusation. Let us see what they say: - -Imprimus. That certain wags in Rotterdam have certain especial -antipathies to certain burgomasters and astronomers. - -Don't understand at all. - -Secondly. That an odd little dwarf and bottle conjurer, both of whose -ears, for some misdemeanor, have been cut off close to his head, has -been missing for several days from the neighboring city of Bruges. - -Well--what of that? - -Thirdly. That the newspapers which were stuck all over the little -balloon were newspapers of Holland, and therefore could not have been -made in the moon. They were dirty papers--very dirty--and Gluck, the -printer, would take his Bible oath to their having been printed in -Rotterdam. - -He was mistaken--undoubtedly--mistaken. - -Fourthly, That Hans Pfaall himself, the drunken villain, and the three -very idle gentlemen styled his creditors, were all seen, no longer than -two or three days ago, in a tippling house in the suburbs, having just -returned, with money in their pockets, from a trip beyond the sea. - -Don't believe it--don't believe a word of it. - -Lastly. That it is an opinion very generally received, or which ought -to be generally received, that the College of Astronomers in the city -of Rotterdam, as well as other colleges in all other parts of the -world,--not to mention colleges and astronomers in general,--are, to say -the least of the matter, not a whit better, nor greater, nor wiser than -they ought to be. - -~~~ End of Text ~~~ - -Notes to Hans Pfaal - -(*1) NOTE--Strictly speaking, there is but little similarity between the -above sketchy trifle and the celebrated "Moon-Story" of Mr. Locke; but -as both have the character of _hoaxes _(although the one is in a tone of -banter, the other of downright earnest), and as both hoaxes are on the -same subject, the moon--moreover, as both attempt to give plausibility -by scientific detail--the author of "Hans Pfaall" thinks it necessary to -say, in _self-defence, _that his own _jeu d'esprit _was published in the -"Southern Literary Messenger" about three weeks before the commencement -of Mr. L's in the "New York Sun." Fancying a likeness which, perhaps, -does not exist, some of the New York papers copied "Hans Pfaall," and -collated it with the "Moon-Hoax," by way of detecting the writer of the -one in the writer of the other. - -As many more persons were actually gulled by the "Moon-Hoax" than would -be willing to acknowledge the fact, it may here afford some little -amusement to show why no one should have been deceived-to point out -those particulars of the story which should have been sufficient to -establish its real character. Indeed, however rich the imagination -displayed in this ingenious fiction, it wanted much of the force which -might have been given it by a more scrupulous attention to facts and -to general analogy. That the public were misled, even for an instant, -merely proves the gross ignorance which is so generally prevalent upon -subjects of an astronomical nature. - -The moon's distance from the earth is, in round numbers, 240,000 miles. -If we desire to ascertain how near, apparently, a lens would bring the -satellite (or any distant object), we, of course, have but to divide the -distance by the magnifying or, more strictly, by the space-penetrating -power of the glass. Mr. L. makes his lens have a power of 42,000 times. -By this divide 240,000 (the moon's real distance), and we have five -miles and five sevenths, as the apparent distance. No animal at all -could be seen so far; much less the minute points particularized in the -story. Mr. L. speaks about Sir John Herschel's perceiving flowers (the -Papaver rheas, etc.), and even detecting the color and the shape of the -eyes of small birds. Shortly before, too, he has himself observed that -the lens would not render perceptible objects of less than eighteen -inches in diameter; but even this, as I have said, is giving the glass -by far too great power. It may be observed, in passing, that this -prodigious glass is said to have been molded at the glasshouse of -Messrs. Hartley and Grant, in Dumbarton; but Messrs. H. and G.'s -establishment had ceased operations for many years previous to the -publication of the hoax. - -On page 13, pamphlet edition, speaking of "a hairy veil" over the eyes -of a species of bison, the author says: "It immediately occurred to the -acute mind of Dr. Herschel that this was a providential contrivance -to protect the eyes of the animal from the great extremes of light -and darkness to which all the inhabitants of our side of the moon are -periodically subjected." But this cannot be thought a very "acute" -observation of the Doctor's. The inhabitants of our side of the moon -have, evidently, no darkness at all, so there can be nothing of the -"extremes" mentioned. In the absence of the sun they have a light from -the earth equal to that of thirteen full unclouded moons. - -The topography throughout, even when professing to accord with Blunt's -Lunar Chart, is entirely at variance with that or any other lunar chart, -and even grossly at variance with itself. The points of the compass, -too, are in inextricable confusion; the writer appearing to be ignorant -that, on a lunar map, these are not in accordance with terrestrial -points; the east being to the left, etc. - -Deceived, perhaps, by the vague titles, Mare Nubium, Mare -Tranquillitatis, Mare Faecunditatis, etc., given to the dark spots by -former astronomers, Mr. L. has entered into details regarding oceans -and other large bodies of water in the moon; whereas there is no -astronomical point more positively ascertained than that no such bodies -exist there. In examining the boundary between light and darkness (in -the crescent or gibbous moon) where this boundary crosses any of the -dark places, the line of division is found to be rough and jagged; but, -were these dark places liquid, it would evidently be even. - -The description of the wings of the man-bat, on page 21, is but a -literal copy of Peter Wilkins' account of the wings of his flying -islanders. This simple fact should have induced suspicion, at least, it -might be thought. - -On page 23, we have the following: "What a prodigious influence must our -thirteen times larger globe have exercised upon this satellite when an -embryo in the womb of time, the passive subject of chemical affinity!" -This is very fine; but it should be observed that no astronomer would -have made such remark, especially to any journal of Science; for the -earth, in the sense intended, is not only thirteen, but forty-nine times -larger than the moon. A similar objection applies to the whole of the -concluding pages, where, by way of introduction to some discoveries in -Saturn, the philosophical correspondent enters into a minute schoolboy -account of that planet--this to the "Edinburgh journal of Science!" - -But there is one point, in particular, which should have betrayed the -fiction. Let us imagine the power actually possessed of seeing animals -upon the moon's surface--what would first arrest the attention of an -observer from the earth? Certainly neither their shape, size, nor any -other such peculiarity, so soon as their remarkable _situation_. They -would appear to be walking, with heels up and head down, in the manner -of flies on a ceiling. The _real_ observer would have uttered an instant -ejaculation of surprise (however prepared by previous knowledge) at the -singularity of their position; the _fictitious_ observer has not even -mentioned the subject, but speaks of seeing the entire bodies of such -creatures, when it is demonstrable that he could have seen only the -diameter of their heads! - -It might as well be remarked, in conclusion, that the size, and -particularly the powers of the man-bats (for example, their ability to -fly in so rare an atmosphere--if, indeed, the moon have any), with most -of the other fancies in regard to animal and vegetable existence, are at -variance, generally, with all analogical reasoning on these themes; and -that analogy here will often amount to conclusive demonstration. It is, -perhaps, scarcely necessary to add, that all the suggestions attributed -to Brewster and Herschel, in the beginning of the article, about "a -transfusion of artificial light through the focal object of vision," -etc., etc., belong to that species of figurative writing which comes, -most properly, under the denomination of rigmarole. - -There is a real and very definite limit to optical discovery among the -stars--a limit whose nature need only be stated to be understood. If, -indeed, the casting of large lenses were all that is required, man's -ingenuity would ultimately prove equal to the task, and we might have -them of any size demanded. But, unhappily, in proportion to the increase -of size in the lens, and consequently of space-penetrating power, is the -diminution of light from the object, by diffusion of its rays. And for -this evil there is no remedy within human ability; for an object is seen -by means of that light alone which proceeds from itself, whether direct -or reflected. Thus the only "artificial" light which could avail -Mr. Locke, would be some artificial light which he should be able to -throw-not upon the "focal object of vision," but upon the real object -to be viewed-to wit: upon the moon. It has been easily calculated that, -when the light proceeding from a star becomes so diffused as to be as -weak as the natural light proceeding from the whole of the stars, in -a clear and moonless night, then the star is no longer visible for any -practical purpose. - -The Earl of Ross's telescope, lately constructed in England, has -a _speculum_ with a reflecting surface of 4,071 square inches; the -Herschel telescope having one of only 1,811. The metal of the Earl of -Ross's is 6 feet diameter; it is 5 1/2 inches thick at the edges, and 5 -at the centre. The weight is 3 tons. The focal length is 50 feet. - -I have lately read a singular and somewhat ingenious little book, whose -title-page runs thus: "L'Homme dans la lvne ou le Voyage Chimerique -fait au Monde de la Lvne, nouellement decouvert par Dominique Gonzales, -Aduanturier Espagnol, autremet dit le Courier volant. Mis en notre -langve par J. B. D. A. Paris, chez Francois Piot, pres la Fontaine de -Saint Benoist. Et chez J. Goignard, au premier pilier de la grand'salle -du Palais, proche les Consultations, MDCXLVII." Pp. 76. - -The writer professes to have translated his work from the English of one -Mr. D'Avisson (Davidson?) although there is a terrible ambiguity in the -statement. "J' en ai eu," says he "l'original de Monsieur D'Avisson, -medecin des mieux versez qui soient aujourd'huy dans la cõnoissance des -Belles Lettres, et sur tout de la Philosophic Naturelle. Je lui ai cette -obligation entre les autres, de m' auoir non seulement mis en main -cc Livre en anglois, mais encore le Manuscrit du Sieur Thomas D'Anan, -gentilhomme Eccossois, recommandable pour sa vertu, sur la version -duquel j' advoue que j' ay tiré le plan de la mienne." - -After some irrelevant adventures, much in the manner of Gil Blas, and -which occupy the first thirty pages, the author relates that, being -ill during a sea voyage, the crew abandoned him, together with a -negro servant, on the island of St. Helena. To increase the chances of -obtaining food, the two separate, and live as far apart as possible. -This brings about a training of birds, to serve the purpose of -carrier-pigeons between them. By and by these are taught to carry -parcels of some weight-and this weight is gradually increased. At length -the idea is entertained of uniting the force of a great number of the -birds, with a view to raising the author himself. A machine is contrived -for the purpose, and we have a minute description of it, which is -materially helped out by a steel engraving. Here we perceive the -Signor Gonzales, with point ruffles and a huge periwig, seated astride -something which resembles very closely a broomstick, and borne aloft by -a multitude of wild swans _(ganzas) _who had strings reaching from their -tails to the machine. - -The main event detailed in the Signor's narrative depends upon a very -important fact, of which the reader is kept in ignorance until near the -end of the book. The _ganzas, _with whom he had become so familiar, were -not really denizens of St. Helena, but of the moon. Thence it had been -their custom, time out of mind, to migrate annually to some portion of -the earth. In proper season, of course, they would return home; and -the author, happening, one day, to require their services for a short -voyage, is unexpectedly carried straight tip, and in a very brief period -arrives at the satellite. Here he finds, among other odd things, that -the people enjoy extreme happiness; that they have no _law; _that they -die without pain; that they are from ten to thirty feet in height; -that they live five thousand years; that they have an emperor called -Irdonozur; and that they can jump sixty feet high, when, being out of -the gravitating influence, they fly about with fans. - -I cannot forbear giving a specimen of the general _philosophy _of the -volume. - -"I must not forget here, that the stars appeared only on that side of -the globe turned toward the moon, and that the closer they were to it -the larger they seemed. I have also me and the earth. As to the -stars, _since there was no night where I was, they always had the same -appearance; not brilliant, as usual, but pale, and very nearly like the -moon of a morning. _But few of them were visible, and these ten times -larger (as well as I could judge) than they seem to the inhabitants -of the earth. The moon, which wanted two days of being full, was of a -terrible bigness. - - "I must not forget here, that the stars appeared only on that side -of the globe turned toward the moon, and that the closer they were to it -the larger they seemed. I have also to inform you that, whether it was -calm weather or stormy, I found myself _always immediately between the -moon and the earth._ I_ _was convinced of this for two reasons-because -my birds always flew in a straight line; and because whenever we -attempted to rest, _we were carried insensibly around the globe of the -earth. _For I admit the opinion of Copernicus, who maintains that it -never ceases to revolve _from the east to the west, _not upon the poles -of the Equinoctial, commonly called the poles of the world, but upon -those of the Zodiac, a question of which I propose to speak more at -length here-after, when I shall have leisure to refresh my memory in -regard to the astrology which I learned at Salamanca when young, and -have since forgotten." - -Notwithstanding the blunders italicized, the book is not without -some claim to attention, as affording a naive specimen of the current -astronomical notions of the time. One of these assumed, that the -"gravitating power" extended but a short distance from the earth's -surface, and, accordingly, we find our voyager "carried insensibly -around the globe," etc. - -There have been other "voyages to the moon," but none of higher merit -than the one just mentioned. That of Bergerac is utterly meaningless. In -the third volume of the "American Quarterly Review" will be found -quite an elaborate criticism upon a certain "journey" of the kind in -question--a criticism in which it is difficult to say whether the critic -most exposes the stupidity of the book, or his own absurd ignorance of -astronomy. I forget the title of the work; but the _means _of the voyage -are more deplorably ill conceived than are even the _ganzas _of our -friend the Signor Gonzales. The adventurer, in digging the earth, -happens to discover a peculiar metal for which the moon has a strong -attraction, and straightway constructs of it a box, which, when cast -loose from its terrestrial fastenings, flies with him, forthwith, to -the satellite. The "Flight of Thomas O'Rourke," is a _jeu d' esprit _not -altogether contemptible, and has been translated into German. Thomas, -the hero, was, in fact, the gamekeeper of an Irish peer, whose -eccentricities gave rise to the tale. The "flight" is made on an eagle's -back, from Hungry Hill, a lofty mountain at the end of Bantry Bay. - -In these various _brochures _the aim is always satirical; the theme -being a description of Lunarian customs as compared with ours. In none -is there any effort at _plausibility _in the details of the voyage -itself. The writers seem, in each instance, to be utterly uninformed in -respect to astronomy. In "Hans Pfaall" the design is original, inasmuch -as regards an attempt at _verisimilitude, _in the application of -scientific principles (so far as the whimsical nature of the subject -would permit), to the actual passage between the earth and the moon. - -(*2) The zodiacal light is probably what the ancients called Trabes. -Emicant Trabes quos docos vocant.--Pliny, lib. 2, p. 26. - -(*3) Since the original publication of Hans Pfaall, I find that Mr. -Green, of Nassau balloon notoriety, and other late aeronauts, deny -the assertions of Humboldt, in this respect, and speak of a decreasing -inconvenience,--precisely in accordance with the theory here urged in a -mere spirit of banter. - -(*4) Havelius writes that he has several times found, in skies -perfectly clear, when even stars of the sixth and seventh magnitude -were conspicuous, that, at the same altitude of the moon, at the -same elongation from the earth, and with one and the same excellent -telescope, the moon and its maculae did not appear equally lucid at all -times. From the circumstances of the observation, it is evident that the -cause of this phenomenon is not either in our air, in the tube, in -the moon, or in the eye of the spectator, but must be looked for in -something (an atmosphere?) existing about the moon. - - - - -THE GOLD-BUG - - What ho! what ho! this fellow is dancing mad! - - He hath been bitten by the Tarantula. - - _--All in the Wrong._ - -MANY years ago, I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William Legrand. -He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been wealthy; but -a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the -mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New Orleans, the -city of his forefathers, and took up his residence at Sullivan's Island, -near Charleston, South Carolina. This Island is a very singular one. -It consists of little else than the sea sand, and is about three -miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a quarter of a mile. It is -separated from the main land by a scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its -way through a wilderness of reeds and slime, a favorite resort of the -marsh hen. The vegetation, as might be supposed, is scant, or at least -dwarfish. No trees of any magnitude are to be seen. Near the western -extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable -frame buildings, tenanted, during summer, by the fugitives from -Charleston dust and fever, may be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; -but the whole island, with the exception of this western point, and -a line of hard, white beach on the seacoast, is covered with a dense -undergrowth of the sweet myrtle, so much prized by the horticulturists -of England. The shrub here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty -feet, and forms an almost impenetrable coppice, burthening the air with -its fragrance. - -In the inmost recesses of this coppice, not far from the eastern or more -remote end of the island, Legrand had built himself a small hut, which -he occupied when I first, by mere accident, made his acquaintance. -This soon ripened into friendship--for there was much in the recluse -to excite interest and esteem. I found him well educated, with unusual -powers of mind, but infected with misanthropy, and subject to perverse -moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy. He had with him many -books, but rarely employed them. His chief amusements were gunning and -fishing, or sauntering along the beach and through the myrtles, in quest -of shells or entomological specimens;--his collection of the latter -might have been envied by a Swammerdamm. In these excursions he was -usually accompanied by an old negro, called Jupiter, who had been -manumitted before the reverses of the family, but who could be induced, -neither by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he considered his -right of attendance upon the footsteps of his young "Massa Will." It -is not improbable that the relatives of Legrand, conceiving him to be -somewhat unsettled in intellect, had contrived to instil this obstinacy -into Jupiter, with a view to the supervision and guardianship of the -wanderer. - -The winters in the latitude of Sullivan's Island are seldom very severe, -and in the fall of the year it is a rare event indeed when a fire is -considered necessary. About the middle of October, 18-, there occurred, -however, a day of remarkable chilliness. Just before sunset I scrambled -my way through the evergreens to the hut of my friend, whom I had -not visited for several weeks--my residence being, at that time, -in Charleston, a distance of nine miles from the Island, while the -facilities of passage and re-passage were very far behind those of -the present day. Upon reaching the hut I rapped, as was my custom, -and getting no reply, sought for the key where I knew it was secreted, -unlocked the door and went in. A fine fire was blazing upon the hearth. -It was a novelty, and by no means an ungrateful one. I threw off an -overcoat, took an arm-chair by the crackling logs, and awaited patiently -the arrival of my hosts. - -Soon after dark they arrived, and gave me a most cordial welcome. -Jupiter, grinning from ear to ear, bustled about to prepare some -marsh-hens for supper. Legrand was in one of his fits--how else shall -I term them?--of enthusiasm. He had found an unknown bivalve, forming -a new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted down and secured, with -Jupiter's assistance, a scarabæus which he believed to be totally new, -but in respect to which he wished to have my opinion on the morrow. - -"And why not to-night?" I asked, rubbing my hands over the blaze, and -wishing the whole tribe of scarabæi at the devil. - -"Ah, if I had only known you were here!" said Legrand, "but it's so long -since I saw you; and how could I foresee that you would pay me a visit -this very night of all others? As I was coming home I met Lieutenant -G--, from the fort, and, very foolishly, I lent him the bug; so it will -be impossible for you to see it until the morning. Stay here to-night, -and I will send Jup down for it at sunrise. It is the loveliest thing in -creation!" - -"What?--sunrise?" - -"Nonsense! no!--the bug. It is of a brilliant gold color--about the size -of a large hickory-nut--with two jet black spots near one extremity of -the back, and another, somewhat longer, at the other. The antennæ are--" - -"Dey aint no tin in him, Massa Will, I keep a tellin on you," here -interrupted Jupiter; "de bug is a goole bug, solid, ebery bit of him, -inside and all, sep him wing--neber feel half so hebby a bug in my -life." - -"Well, suppose it is, Jup," replied Legrand, somewhat more earnestly, -it seemed to me, than the case demanded, "is that any reason for your -letting the birds burn? The color"--here he turned to me--"is really -almost enough to warrant Jupiter's idea. You never saw a more brilliant -metallic lustre than the scales emit--but of this you cannot judge -till tomorrow. In the mean time I can give you some idea of the shape." -Saying this, he seated himself at a small table, on which were a pen and -ink, but no paper. He looked for some in a drawer, but found none. - -"Never mind," said he at length, "this will answer;" and he drew from -his waistcoat pocket a scrap of what I took to be very dirty foolscap, -and made upon it a rough drawing with the pen. While he did this, I -retained my seat by the fire, for I was still chilly. When the design -was complete, he handed it to me without rising. As I received it, a -loud growl was heard, succeeded by a scratching at the door. Jupiter -opened it, and a large Newfoundland, belonging to Legrand, rushed in, -leaped upon my shoulders, and loaded me with caresses; for I had shown -him much attention during previous visits. When his gambols were over, I -looked at the paper, and, to speak the truth, found myself not a little -puzzled at what my friend had depicted. - -"Well!" I said, after contemplating it for some minutes, "this is a -strange scarabæus, I must confess: new to me: never saw anything like it -before--unless it was a skull, or a death's-head--which it more nearly -resembles than anything else that has come under my observation." - -"A death's-head!" echoed Legrand--"Oh--yes--well, it has something of -that appearance upon paper, no doubt. The two upper black spots look -like eyes, eh? and the longer one at the bottom like a mouth--and then -the shape of the whole is oval." - -"Perhaps so," said I; "but, Legrand, I fear you are no artist. I must -wait until I see the beetle itself, if I am to form any idea of its -personal appearance." - -"Well, I don't know," said he, a little nettled, "I draw -tolerably--should do it at least--have had good masters, and flatter -myself that I am not quite a blockhead." - -"But, my dear fellow, you are joking then," said I, "this is a very -passable skull--indeed, I may say that it is a very excellent skull, -according to the vulgar notions about such specimens of physiology--and -your scarabæus must be the queerest scarabæus in the world if it -resembles it. Why, we may get up a very thrilling bit of superstition -upon this hint. I presume you will call the bug scarabæus caput hominis, -or something of that kind--there are many similar titles in the Natural -Histories. But where are the antennæ you spoke of?" - -"The antennæ!" said Legrand, who seemed to be getting unaccountably warm -upon the subject; "I am sure you must see the antennæ. I made them -as distinct as they are in the original insect, and I presume that is -sufficient." - -"Well, well," I said, "perhaps you have--still I don't see them;" and -I handed him the paper without additional remark, not wishing to ruffle -his temper; but I was much surprised at the turn affairs had taken; his -ill humor puzzled me--and, as for the drawing of the beetle, there -were positively no antennæ visible, and the whole did bear a very close -resemblance to the ordinary cuts of a death's-head. - -He received the paper very peevishly, and was about to crumple it, -apparently to throw it in the fire, when a casual glance at the design -seemed suddenly to rivet his attention. In an instant his face grew -violently red--in another as excessively pale. For some minutes he -continued to scrutinize the drawing minutely where he sat. At length he -arose, took a candle from the table, and proceeded to seat himself upon -a sea-chest in the farthest corner of the room. Here again he made an -anxious examination of the paper; turning it in all directions. He said -nothing, however, and his conduct greatly astonished me; yet I thought -it prudent not to exacerbate the growing moodiness of his temper by any -comment. Presently he took from his coat pocket a wallet, placed the -paper carefully in it, and deposited both in a writing-desk, which he -locked. He now grew more composed in his demeanor; but his original air -of enthusiasm had quite disappeared. Yet he seemed not so much sulky as -abstracted. As the evening wore away he became more and more absorbed in -reverie, from which no sallies of mine could arouse him. It had been my -intention to pass the night at the hut, as I had frequently done before, -but, seeing my host in this mood, I deemed it proper to take leave. He -did not press me to remain, but, as I departed, he shook my hand with -even more than his usual cordiality. - -It was about a month after this (and during the interval I had seen -nothing of Legrand) when I received a visit, at Charleston, from his -man, Jupiter. I had never seen the good old negro look so dispirited, -and I feared that some serious disaster had befallen my friend. - -"Well, Jup," said I, "what is the matter now?--how is your master?" - -"Why, to speak de troof, massa, him not so berry well as mought be." - -"Not well! I am truly sorry to hear it. What does he complain of?" - -"Dar! dat's it!--him neber plain of notin--but him berry sick for all -dat." - -"Very sick, Jupiter!--why didn't you say so at once? Is he confined to -bed?" - -"No, dat he aint!--he aint find nowhar--dat's just whar de shoe -pinch--my mind is got to be berry hebby bout poor Massa Will." - -"Jupiter, I should like to understand what it is you are talking about. -You say your master is sick. Hasn't he told you what ails him?" - -"Why, massa, taint worf while for to git mad about de matter--Massa -Will say noffin at all aint de matter wid him--but den what make him go -about looking dis here way, wid he head down and he soldiers up, and as -white as a gose? And den he keep a syphon all de time--" - -"Keeps a what, Jupiter?" - -"Keeps a syphon wid de figgurs on de slate--de queerest figgurs I ebber -did see. Ise gittin to be skeered, I tell you. Hab for to keep mighty -tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib me slip fore de sun up and -was gone de whole ob de blessed day. I had a big stick ready cut for to -gib him deuced good beating when he did come--but Ise sich a fool dat I -hadn't de heart arter all--he look so berry poorly." - -"Eh?--what?--ah yes!--upon the whole I think you had better not be too -severe with the poor fellow--don't flog him, Jupiter--he can't very well -stand it--but can you form no idea of what has occasioned this illness, -or rather this change of conduct? Has anything unpleasant happened since -I saw you?" - -"No, massa, dey aint bin noffin unpleasant since den--'twas fore den I'm -feared--'twas de berry day you was dare." - -"How? what do you mean?" - -"Why, massa, I mean de bug--dare now." - -"The what?" - -"De bug,--I'm berry sartain dat Massa Will bin bit somewhere bout de -head by dat goole-bug." - -"And what cause have you, Jupiter, for such a supposition?" - -"Claws enuff, massa, and mouth too. I nebber did see sick a deuced -bug--he kick and he bite ebery ting what cum near him. Massa Will cotch -him fuss, but had for to let him go gin mighty quick, I tell you--den -was de time he must ha got de bite. I did n't like de look oh de bug -mouff, myself, no how, so I would n't take hold ob him wid my finger, -but I cotch him wid a piece ob paper dat I found. I rap him up in de -paper and stuff piece ob it in he mouff--dat was de way." - -"And you think, then, that your master was really bitten by the beetle, -and that the bite made him sick?" - -"I do n't tink noffin about it--I nose it. What make him dream bout de -goole so much, if taint cause he bit by de goole-bug? Ise heerd bout dem -goole-bugs fore dis." - -"But how do you know he dreams about gold?" - -"How I know? why cause he talk about it in he sleep--dat's how I nose." - -"Well, Jup, perhaps you are right; but to what fortunate circumstance am -I to attribute the honor of a visit from you to-day?" - -"What de matter, massa?" - -"Did you bring any message from Mr. Legrand?" - -"No, massa, I bring dis here pissel;" and here Jupiter handed me a note -which ran thus: - - MY DEAR ---- - -Why have I not seen you for so long a time? I hope you have not been so -foolish as to take offence at any little _brusquerie_ of mine; but no, -that is improbable. Since I saw you I have had great cause for anxiety. -I have something to tell you, yet scarcely know how to tell it, or -whether I should tell it at all. - -I have not been quite well for some days past, and poor old Jup annoys -me, almost beyond endurance, by his well-meant attentions Would you -believe it?--he had prepared a huge stick, the other day, with which -to chastise me for giving him the slip, and spending the day, _solus_, -among the hills on the main land. I verily believe that my ill looks -alone saved me a flogging. - -I have made no addition to my cabinet since we met. - -If you can, in any way, make it convenient, come over with Jupiter. -_Do_ come. I wish to see you to-_night_, upon business of importance. I -assure you that it is of the _highest_ importance. - - Ever yours, WILLIAM LEGRAND. - -There was something in the tone of this note which gave me great -uneasiness. Its whole style differed materially from that of Legrand. -What could he be dreaming of? What new crotchet possessed his excitable -brain? What "business of the highest importance" could he possibly have -to transact? Jupiter's account of him boded no good. I dreaded lest the -continued pressure of misfortune had, at length, fairly unsettled -the reason of my friend. Without a moment's hesitation, therefore, I -prepared to accompany the negro. - -Upon reaching the wharf, I noticed a scythe and three spades, all -apparently new, lying in the bottom of the boat in which we were to -embark. - -"What is the meaning of all this, Jup?" I inquired. - -"Him syfe, massa, and spade." - -"Very true; but what are they doing here?" - -"Him de syfe and de spade what Massa Will sis pon my buying for him in -de town, and de debbils own lot of money I had to gib for em." - -"But what, in the name of all that is mysterious, is your 'Massa Will' -going to do with scythes and spades?" - -"Dat's more dan I know, and debbil take me if I don't blieve 'tis more -dan he know, too. But it's all cum ob do bug." - -Finding that no satisfaction was to be obtained of Jupiter, whose whole -intellect seemed to be absorbed by "de bug," I now stepped into the boat -and made sail. With a fair and strong breeze we soon ran into the little -cove to the northward of Fort Moultrie, and a walk of some two miles -brought us to the hut. It was about three in the afternoon when we -arrived. Legrand had been awaiting us in eager expectation. He grasped -my hand with a nervous empressement which alarmed me and strengthened -the suspicions already entertained. His countenance was pale even to -ghastliness, and his deep-set eyes glared with unnatural lustre. After -some inquiries respecting his health, I asked him, not knowing what -better to say, if he had yet obtained the scarabæus from Lieutenant -G ----. - -"Oh, yes," he replied, coloring violently, "I got it from him the next -morning. Nothing should tempt me to part with that scarabæus. Do you -know that Jupiter is quite right about it?" - -"In what way?" I asked, with a sad foreboding at heart. - -"In supposing it to be a bug of real gold." He said this with an air of -profound seriousness, and I felt inexpressibly shocked. - -"This bug is to make my fortune," he continued, with a triumphant smile, -"to reinstate me in my family possessions. Is it any wonder, then, that -I prize it? Since Fortune has thought fit to bestow it upon me, I have -only to use it properly and I shall arrive at the gold of which it is -the index. Jupiter; bring me that scarabæus!" - -"What! de bug, massa? I'd rudder not go fer trubble dat bug--you mus git -him for your own self." Hereupon Legrand arose, with a grave and -stately air, and brought me the beetle from a glass case in which it was -enclosed. It was a beautiful scarabæus, and, at that time, unknown to -naturalists--of course a great prize in a scientific point of view. -There were two round, black spots near one extremity of the back, and -a long one near the other. The scales were exceedingly hard and glossy, -with all the appearance of burnished gold. The weight of the insect -was very remarkable, and, taking all things into consideration, I could -hardly blame Jupiter for his opinion respecting it; but what to make of -Legrand's concordance with that opinion, I could not, for the life of -me, tell. - -"I sent for you," said he, in a grandiloquent tone, when I had completed -my examination of the beetle, "I sent for you, that I might have your -counsel and assistance in furthering the views of Fate and of the bug"-- - -"My dear Legrand," I cried, interrupting him, "you are certainly unwell, -and had better use some little precautions. You shall go to bed, and -I will remain with you a few days, until you get over this. You are -feverish and"-- - -"Feel my pulse," said he. - -I felt it, and, to say the truth, found not the slightest indication of -fever. - -"But you may be ill and yet have no fever. Allow me this once to -prescribe for you. In the first place, go to bed. In the next"-- - -"You are mistaken," he interposed, "I am as well as I can expect to be -under the excitement which I suffer. If you really wish me well, you -will relieve this excitement." - -"And how is this to be done?" - -"Very easily. Jupiter and myself are going upon an expedition into the -hills, upon the main land, and, in this expedition we shall need the -aid of some person in whom we can confide. You are the only one we can -trust. Whether we succeed or fail, the excitement which you now perceive -in me will be equally allayed." - -"I am anxious to oblige you in any way," I replied; "but do you mean to -say that this infernal beetle has any connection with your expedition -into the hills?" - -"It has." - -"Then, Legrand, I can become a party to no such absurd proceeding." - -"I am sorry--very sorry--for we shall have to try it by ourselves." - -"Try it by yourselves! The man is surely mad!--but stay!--how long do -you propose to be absent?" - -"Probably all night. We shall start immediately, and be back, at all -events, by sunrise." - -"And will you promise me, upon your honor, that when this freak of yours -is over, and the bug business (good God!) settled to your satisfaction, -you will then return home and follow my advice implicitly, as that of -your physician?" - -"Yes; I promise; and now let us be off, for we have no time to lose." - -With a heavy heart I accompanied my friend. We started about four -o'clock--Legrand, Jupiter, the dog, and myself. Jupiter had with him the -scythe and spades--the whole of which he insisted upon carrying--more -through fear, it seemed to me, of trusting either of the implements -within reach of his master, than from any excess of industry or -complaisance. His demeanor was dogged in the extreme, and "dat deuced -bug" were the sole words which escaped his lips during the journey. For -my own part, I had charge of a couple of dark lanterns, while Legrand -contented himself with the scarabæus, which he carried attached to the -end of a bit of whip-cord; twirling it to and fro, with the air of a -conjuror, as he went. When I observed this last, plain evidence of my -friend's aberration of mind, I could scarcely refrain from tears. I -thought it best, however, to humor his fancy, at least for the present, -or until I could adopt some more energetic measures with a chance of -success. In the mean time I endeavored, but all in vain, to sound him in -regard to the object of the expedition. Having succeeded in inducing -me to accompany him, he seemed unwilling to hold conversation upon any -topic of minor importance, and to all my questions vouchsafed no other -reply than "we shall see!" - -We crossed the creek at the head of the island by means of a skiff; and, -ascending the high grounds on the shore of the main land, proceeded in a -northwesterly direction, through a tract of country excessively wild and -desolate, where no trace of a human footstep was to be seen. Legrand led -the way with decision; pausing only for an instant, here and there, to -consult what appeared to be certain landmarks of his own contrivance -upon a former occasion. - -In this manner we journeyed for about two hours, and the sun was just -setting when we entered a region infinitely more dreary than any yet -seen. It was a species of table land, near the summit of an almost -inaccessible hill, densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and -interspersed with huge crags that appeared to lie loosely upon the soil, -and in many cases were prevented from precipitating themselves into the -valleys below, merely by the support of the trees against which they -reclined. Deep ravines, in various directions, gave an air of still -sterner solemnity to the scene. - -The natural platform to which we had clambered was thickly overgrown -with brambles, through which we soon discovered that it would have -been impossible to force our way but for the scythe; and Jupiter, by -direction of his master, proceeded to clear for us a path to the foot of -an enormously tall tulip-tree, which stood, with some eight or ten oaks, -upon the level, and far surpassed them all, and all other trees which I -had then ever seen, in the beauty of its foliage and form, in the wide -spread of its branches, and in the general majesty of its appearance. -When we reached this tree, Legrand turned to Jupiter, and asked him if -he thought he could climb it. The old man seemed a little staggered -by the question, and for some moments made no reply. At length he -approached the huge trunk, walked slowly around it, and examined it with -minute attention. When he had completed his scrutiny, he merely said, - -"Yes, massa, Jup climb any tree he ebber see in he life." - -"Then up with you as soon as possible, for it will soon be too dark to -see what we are about." - -"How far mus go up, massa?" inquired Jupiter. - -"Get up the main trunk first, and then I will tell you which way to -go--and here--stop! take this beetle with you." - -"De bug, Massa Will!--de goole bug!" cried the negro, drawing back in -dismay--"what for mus tote de bug way up de tree?--d-n if I do!" - -"If you are afraid, Jup, a great big negro like you, to take hold of -a harmless little dead beetle, why you can carry it up by this -string--but, if you do not take it up with you in some way, I shall be -under the necessity of breaking your head with this shovel." - -"What de matter now, massa?" said Jup, evidently shamed into compliance; -"always want for to raise fuss wid old nigger. Was only funnin any how. -Me feered de bug! what I keer for de bug?" Here he took cautiously hold -of the extreme end of the string, and, maintaining the insect as far -from his person as circumstances would permit, prepared to ascend the -tree. - -In youth, the tulip-tree, or Liriodendron Tulipferum, the most -magnificent of American foresters, has a trunk peculiarly smooth, and -often rises to a great height without lateral branches; but, in its -riper age, the bark becomes gnarled and uneven, while many short limbs -make their appearance on the stem. Thus the difficulty of ascension, in -the present case, lay more in semblance than in reality. Embracing the -huge cylinder, as closely as possible, with his arms and knees, seizing -with his hands some projections, and resting his naked toes upon -others, Jupiter, after one or two narrow escapes from falling, at length -wriggled himself into the first great fork, and seemed to consider the -whole business as virtually accomplished. The risk of the achievement -was, in fact, now over, although the climber was some sixty or seventy -feet from the ground. - -"Which way mus go now, Massa Will?" he asked. - -"Keep up the largest branch--the one on this side," said Legrand. The -negro obeyed him promptly, and apparently with but little trouble; -ascending higher and higher, until no glimpse of his squat figure could -be obtained through the dense foliage which enveloped it. Presently his -voice was heard in a sort of halloo. - -"How much fudder is got for go?" - -"How high up are you?" asked Legrand. - -"Ebber so fur," replied the negro; "can see de sky fru de top ob de -tree." - -"Never mind the sky, but attend to what I say. Look down the trunk and -count the limbs below you on this side. How many limbs have you passed?" - -"One, two, tree, four, fibe--I done pass fibe big limb, massa, pon dis -side." - -"Then go one limb higher." - -In a few minutes the voice was heard again, announcing that the seventh -limb was attained. - -"Now, Jup," cried Legrand, evidently much excited, "I want you to work -your way out upon that limb as far as you can. If you see anything -strange, let me know." By this time what little doubt I might have -entertained of my poor friend's insanity, was put finally at rest. I had -no alternative but to conclude him stricken with lunacy, and I became -seriously anxious about getting him home. While I was pondering upon -what was best to be done, Jupiter's voice was again heard. - -"Mos feerd for to ventur pon dis limb berry far--tis dead limb putty -much all de way." - -"Did you say it was a dead limb, Jupiter?" cried Legrand in a quavering -voice. - -"Yes, massa, him dead as de door-nail--done up for sartain--done -departed dis here life." - -"What in the name heaven shall I do?" asked Legrand, seemingly in the -greatest distress. "Do!" said I, glad of an opportunity to interpose -a word, "why come home and go to bed. Come now!--that's a fine fellow. -It's getting late, and, besides, you remember your promise." - -"Jupiter," cried he, without heeding me in the least, "do you hear me?" - -"Yes, Massa Will, hear you ebber so plain." - -"Try the wood well, then, with your knife, and see if you think it very -rotten." - -"Him rotten, massa, sure nuff," replied the negro in a few moments, "but -not so berry rotten as mought be. Mought ventur out leetle way pon de -limb by myself, dat's true." - -"By yourself!--what do you mean?" - -"Why I mean de bug. 'Tis berry hebby bug. Spose I drop him down fuss, -and den de limb won't break wid just de weight ob one nigger." - -"You infernal scoundrel!" cried Legrand, apparently much relieved, "what -do you mean by telling me such nonsense as that? As sure as you drop -that beetle I'll break your neck. Look here, Jupiter, do you hear me?" - -"Yes, massa, needn't hollo at poor nigger dat style." - -"Well! now listen!--if you will venture out on the limb as far as you -think safe, and not let go the beetle, I'll make you a present of a -silver dollar as soon as you get down." - -"I'm gwine, Massa Will--deed I is," replied the negro very -promptly--"mos out to the eend now." - -"Out to the end!" here fairly screamed Legrand, "do you say you are out -to the end of that limb?" - -"Soon be to de eend, massa,--o-o-o-o-oh! Lor-gol-a-marcy! what is dis -here pon de tree?" - -"Well!" cried Legrand, highly delighted, "what is it?" - -"Why taint noffin but a skull--somebody bin lef him head up de tree, and -de crows done gobble ebery bit ob de meat off." - -"A skull, you say!--very well!--how is it fastened to the limb?--what -holds it on?" - -"Sure nuff, massa; mus look. Why dis berry curous sarcumstance, pon my -word--dare's a great big nail in de skull, what fastens ob it on to de -tree." - -"Well now, Jupiter, do exactly as I tell you--do you hear?" - -"Yes, massa." - -"Pay attention, then!--find the left eye of the skull." - -"Hum! hoo! dat's good! why dare aint no eye lef at all." - -"Curse your stupidity! do you know your right hand from your left?" - -"Yes, I nose dat--nose all bout dat--tis my lef hand what I chops de -wood wid." - -"To be sure! you are left-handed; and your left eye is on the same -side as your left hand. Now, I suppose, you can find the left eye of the -skull, or the place where the left eye has been. Have you found it?" - -Here was a long pause. At length the negro asked, - -"Is de lef eye of de skull pon de same side as de lef hand of de skull, -too?--cause de skull aint got not a bit ob a hand at all--nebber mind! -I got de lef eye now--here de lef eye! what mus do wid it?" - -"Let the beetle drop through it, as far as the string will reach--but -be careful and not let go your hold of the string." - -"All dat done, Massa Will; mighty easy ting for to put de bug fru de -hole--look out for him dare below!" - -During this colloquy no portion of Jupiter's person could be seen; but -the beetle, which he had suffered to descend, was now visible at the -end of the string, and glistened, like a globe of burnished gold, in the -last rays of the setting sun, some of which still faintly illumined -the eminence upon which we stood. The scarabæus hung quite clear of -any branches, and, if allowed to fall, would have fallen at our feet. -Legrand immediately took the scythe, and cleared with it a circular -space, three or four yards in diameter, just beneath the insect, and, -having accomplished this, ordered Jupiter to let go the string and come -down from the tree. - -Driving a peg, with great nicety, into the ground, at the precise spot -where the beetle fell, my friend now produced from his pocket a tape -measure. Fastening one end of this at that point of the trunk, of the -tree which was nearest the peg, he unrolled it till it reached the peg, -and thence farther unrolled it, in the direction already established -by the two points of the tree and the peg, for the distance of fifty -feet--Jupiter clearing away the brambles with the scythe. At the spot -thus attained a second peg was driven, and about this, as a centre, a -rude circle, about four feet in diameter, described. Taking now a spade -himself, and giving one to Jupiter and one to me, Legrand begged us to -set about digging as quickly as possible. - -To speak the truth, I had no especial relish for such amusement at any -time, and, at that particular moment, would most willingly have declined -it; for the night was coming on, and I felt much fatigued with the -exercise already taken; but I saw no mode of escape, and was fearful -of disturbing my poor friend's equanimity by a refusal. Could I have -depended, indeed, upon Jupiter's aid, I would have had no hesitation in -attempting to get the lunatic home by force; but I was too well assured -of the old negro's disposition, to hope that he would assist me, under -any circumstances, in a personal contest with his master. I made no -doubt that the latter had been infected with some of the innumerable -Southern superstitions about money buried, and that his phantasy had -received confirmation by the finding of the scarabæus, or, perhaps, by -Jupiter's obstinacy in maintaining it to be "a bug of real gold." A -mind disposed to lunacy would readily be led away by such -suggestions--especially if chiming in with favorite preconceived -ideas--and then I called to mind the poor fellow's speech about the -beetle's being "the index of his fortune." Upon the whole, I was sadly -vexed and puzzled, but, at length, I concluded to make a virtue of -necessity--to dig with a good will, and thus the sooner to convince the -visionary, by ocular demonstration, of the fallacy of the opinions he -entertained. - -The lanterns having been lit, we all fell to work with a zeal worthy -a more rational cause; and, as the glare fell upon our persons and -implements, I could not help thinking how picturesque a group we -composed, and how strange and suspicious our labors must have appeared -to any interloper who, by chance, might have stumbled upon our -whereabouts. - -We dug very steadily for two hours. Little was said; and our chief -embarrassment lay in the yelpings of the dog, who took exceeding -interest in our proceedings. He, at length, became so obstreperous -that we grew fearful of his giving the alarm to some stragglers in -the vicinity;--or, rather, this was the apprehension of Legrand;--for -myself, I should have rejoiced at any interruption which might have -enabled me to get the wanderer home. The noise was, at length, very -effectually silenced by Jupiter, who, getting out of the hole with a -dogged air of deliberation, tied the brute's mouth up with one of his -suspenders, and then returned, with a grave chuckle, to his task. - -When the time mentioned had expired, we had reached a depth of five -feet, and yet no signs of any treasure became manifest. A general pause -ensued, and I began to hope that the farce was at an end. Legrand, -however, although evidently much disconcerted, wiped his brow -thoughtfully and recommenced. We had excavated the entire circle of four -feet diameter, and now we slightly enlarged the limit, and went to the -farther depth of two feet. Still nothing appeared. The gold-seeker, whom -I sincerely pitied, at length clambered from the pit, with the bitterest -disappointment imprinted upon every feature, and proceeded, slowly -and reluctantly, to put on his coat, which he had thrown off at the -beginning of his labor. In the mean time I made no remark. Jupiter, at a -signal from his master, began to gather up his tools. This done, and the -dog having been unmuzzled, we turned in profound silence towards home. - -We had taken, perhaps, a dozen steps in this direction, when, with a -loud oath, Legrand strode up to Jupiter, and seized him by the collar. -The astonished negro opened his eyes and mouth to the fullest extent, -let fall the spades, and fell upon his knees. - -"You scoundrel," said Legrand, hissing out the syllables from between -his clenched teeth--"you infernal black villain!--speak, I tell -you!--answer me this instant, without prevarication!--which--which is -your left eye?" - -"Oh, my golly, Massa Will! aint dis here my lef eye for sartain?" roared -the terrified Jupiter, placing his hand upon his right organ of vision, -and holding it there with a desperate pertinacity, as if in immediate -dread of his master's attempt at a gouge. - -"I thought so!--I knew it! hurrah!" vociferated Legrand, letting the -negro go, and executing a series of curvets and caracols, much to the -astonishment of his valet, who, arising from his knees, looked, mutely, -from his master to myself, and then from myself to his master. - -"Come! we must go back," said the latter, "the game's not up yet;" and -he again led the way to the tulip-tree. - -"Jupiter," said he, when we reached its foot, "come here! was the skull -nailed to the limb with the face outwards, or with the face to the -limb?" - -"De face was out, massa, so dat de crows could get at de eyes good, -widout any trouble." - -"Well, then, was it this eye or that through which you dropped the -beetle?"--here Legrand touched each of Jupiter's eyes. - -"Twas dis eye, massa--de lef eye--jis as you tell me," and here it was -his right eye that the negro indicated. - -"That will do--must try it again." - -Here my friend, about whose madness I now saw, or fancied that I saw, -certain indications of method, removed the peg which marked the spot -where the beetle fell, to a spot about three inches to the westward -of its former position. Taking, now, the tape measure from the nearest -point of the trunk to the peg, as before, and continuing the extension -in a straight line to the distance of fifty feet, a spot was indicated, -removed, by several yards, from the point at which we had been digging. - -Around the new position a circle, somewhat larger than in the former -instance, was now described, and we again set to work with the spades. -I was dreadfully weary, but, scarcely understanding what had occasioned -the change in my thoughts, I felt no longer any great aversion from the -labor imposed. I had become most unaccountably interested--nay, even -excited. Perhaps there was something, amid all the extravagant demeanor -of Legrand--some air of forethought, or of deliberation, which impressed -me. I dug eagerly, and now and then caught myself actually looking, -with something that very much resembled expectation, for the fancied -treasure, the vision of which had demented my unfortunate companion. At -a period when such vagaries of thought most fully possessed me, and -when we had been at work perhaps an hour and a half, we were again -interrupted by the violent howlings of the dog. His uneasiness, in the -first instance, had been, evidently, but the result of playfulness or -caprice, but he now assumed a bitter and serious tone. Upon Jupiter's -again attempting to muzzle him, he made furious resistance, and, leaping -into the hole, tore up the mould frantically with his claws. In a few -seconds he had uncovered a mass of human bones, forming two complete -skeletons, intermingled with several buttons of metal, and what appeared -to be the dust of decayed woollen. One or two strokes of a spade -upturned the blade of a large Spanish knife, and, as we dug farther, -three or four loose pieces of gold and silver coin came to light. - -At sight of these the joy of Jupiter could scarcely be restrained, but -the countenance of his master wore an air of extreme disappointment He -urged us, however, to continue our exertions, and the words were hardly -uttered when I stumbled and fell forward, having caught the toe of my -boot in a large ring of iron that lay half buried in the loose earth. - -We now worked in earnest, and never did I pass ten minutes of more -intense excitement. During this interval we had fairly unearthed an -oblong chest of wood, which, from its perfect preservation and -wonderful hardness, had plainly been subjected to some mineralizing -process--perhaps that of the Bi-chloride of Mercury. This box was three -feet and a half long, three feet broad, and two and a half feet deep. It -was firmly secured by bands of wrought iron, riveted, and forming a kind -of open trelliswork over the whole. On each side of the chest, near the -top, were three rings of iron--six in all--by means of which a firm hold -could be obtained by six persons. Our utmost united endeavors served -only to disturb the coffer very slightly in its bed. We at once saw -the impossibility of removing so great a weight. Luckily, the sole -fastenings of the lid consisted of two sliding bolts. These we drew -back--trembling and panting with anxiety. In an instant, a treasure of -incalculable value lay gleaming before us. As the rays of the lanterns -fell within the pit, there flashed upwards a glow and a glare, from a -confused heap of gold and of jewels, that absolutely dazzled our eyes. - -I shall not pretend to describe the feelings with which I gazed. -Amazement was, of course, predominant. Legrand appeared exhausted with -excitement, and spoke very few words. Jupiter's countenance wore, for -some minutes, as deadly a pallor as it is possible, in nature of things, -for any negro's visage to assume. He seemed stupified--thunderstricken. -Presently he fell upon his knees in the pit, and, burying his naked -arms up to the elbows in gold, let them there remain, as if enjoying the -luxury of a bath. At length, with a deep sigh, he exclaimed, as if in a -soliloquy, - -"And dis all cum ob de goole-bug! de putty goole bug! de poor little -goole-bug, what I boosed in dat sabage kind ob style! Aint you shamed ob -yourself, nigger?--answer me dat!" - -It became necessary, at last, that I should arouse both master and valet -to the expediency of removing the treasure. It was growing late, and -it behooved us to make exertion, that we might get every thing housed -before daylight. It was difficult to say what should be done, and much -time was spent in deliberation--so confused were the ideas of all. We, -finally, lightened the box by removing two thirds of its contents, -when we were enabled, with some trouble, to raise it from the hole. The -articles taken out were deposited among the brambles, and the dog -left to guard them, with strict orders from Jupiter neither, upon any -pretence, to stir from the spot, nor to open his mouth until our return. -We then hurriedly made for home with the chest; reaching the hut in -safety, but after excessive toil, at one o'clock in the morning. Worn -out as we were, it was not in human nature to do more immediately. We -rested until two, and had supper; starting for the hills immediately -afterwards, armed with three stout sacks, which, by good luck, were upon -the premises. A little before four we arrived at the pit, divided the -remainder of the booty, as equally as might be, among us, and, leaving -the holes unfilled, again set out for the hut, at which, for the second -time, we deposited our golden burthens, just as the first faint streaks -of the dawn gleamed from over the tree-tops in the East. - -We were now thoroughly broken down; but the intense excitement of the -time denied us repose. After an unquiet slumber of some three or four -hours' duration, we arose, as if by preconcert, to make examination of -our treasure. - -The chest had been full to the brim, and we spent the whole day, and the -greater part of the next night, in a scrutiny of its contents. There had -been nothing like order or arrangement. Every thing had been heaped -in promiscuously. Having assorted all with care, we found ourselves -possessed of even vaster wealth than we had at first supposed. In -coin there was rather more than four hundred and fifty thousand -dollars--estimating the value of the pieces, as accurately as we could, -by the tables of the period. There was not a particle of silver. All was -gold of antique date and of great variety--French, Spanish, and German -money, with a few English guineas, and some counters, of which we had -never seen specimens before. There were several very large and heavy -coins, so worn that we could make nothing of their inscriptions. There -was no American money. The value of the jewels we found more difficulty -in estimating. There were diamonds--some of them exceedingly large and -fine--a hundred and ten in all, and not one of them small; eighteen -rubies of remarkable brilliancy;--three hundred and ten emeralds, all -very beautiful; and twenty-one sapphires, with an opal. These stones had -all been broken from their settings and thrown loose in the chest. The -settings themselves, which we picked out from among the other gold, -appeared to have been beaten up with hammers, as if to prevent -identification. Besides all this, there was a vast quantity of solid -gold ornaments;--nearly two hundred massive finger and earrings;--rich -chains--thirty of these, if I remember;--eighty-three very large and -heavy crucifixes;--five gold censers of great value;--a prodigious -golden punch bowl, ornamented with richly chased vine-leaves and -Bacchanalian figures; with two sword-handles exquisitely embossed, and -many other smaller articles which I cannot recollect. The weight of -these valuables exceeded three hundred and fifty pounds avoirdupois; and -in this estimate I have not included one hundred and ninety-seven superb -gold watches; three of the number being worth each five hundred dollars, -if one. Many of them were very old, and as time keepers valueless; the -works having suffered, more or less, from corrosion--but all were richly -jewelled and in cases of great worth. We estimated the entire contents -of the chest, that night, at a million and a half of dollars; and upon -the subsequent disposal of the trinkets and jewels (a few being retained -for our own use), it was found that we had greatly undervalued the -treasure. When, at length, we had concluded our examination, and the -intense excitement of the time had, in some measure, subsided, Legrand, -who saw that I was dying with impatience for a solution of this -most extraordinary riddle, entered into a full detail of all the -circumstances connected with it. - -"You remember;" said he, "the night when I handed you the rough sketch I -had made of the scarabæus. You recollect also, that I became quite vexed -at you for insisting that my drawing resembled a death's-head. When you -first made this assertion I thought you were jesting; but afterwards -I called to mind the peculiar spots on the back of the insect, and -admitted to myself that your remark had some little foundation in fact. -Still, the sneer at my graphic powers irritated me--for I am considered -a good artist--and, therefore, when you handed me the scrap of -parchment, I was about to crumple it up and throw it angrily into the -fire." - -"The scrap of paper, you mean," said I. - -"No; it had much of the appearance of paper, and at first I supposed it -to be such, but when I came to draw upon it, I discovered it, at once, -to be a piece of very thin parchment. It was quite dirty, you remember. -Well, as I was in the very act of crumpling it up, my glance fell -upon the sketch at which you had been looking, and you may imagine my -astonishment when I perceived, in fact, the figure of a death's-head -just where, it seemed to me, I had made the drawing of the beetle. For -a moment I was too much amazed to think with accuracy. I knew that my -design was very different in detail from this--although there was a -certain similarity in general outline. Presently I took a candle, and -seating myself at the other end of the room, proceeded to scrutinize the -parchment more closely. Upon turning it over, I saw my own sketch -upon the reverse, just as I had made it. My first idea, now, was mere -surprise at the really remarkable similarity of outline--at the singular -coincidence involved in the fact, that unknown to me, there should have -been a skull upon the other side of the parchment, immediately beneath -my figure of the scarabæus, and that this skull, not only in outline, -but in size, should so closely resemble my drawing. I say the -singularity of this coincidence absolutely stupified me for a time. -This is the usual effect of such coincidences. The mind struggles to -establish a connexion--a sequence of cause and effect--and, being -unable to do so, suffers a species of temporary paralysis. But, when I -recovered from this stupor, there dawned upon me gradually a conviction -which startled me even far more than the coincidence. I began -distinctly, positively, to remember that there had been no drawing upon -the parchment when I made my sketch of the scarabæus. I became perfectly -certain of this; for I recollected turning up first one side and then -the other, in search of the cleanest spot. Had the skull been then -there, of course I could not have failed to notice it. Here was indeed -a mystery which I felt it impossible to explain; but, even at that early -moment, there seemed to glimmer, faintly, within the most remote and -secret chambers of my intellect, a glow-worm-like conception of -that truth which last night's adventure brought to so magnificent a -demonstration. I arose at once, and putting the parchment securely away, -dismissed all farther reflection until I should be alone. - -"When you had gone, and when Jupiter was fast asleep, I betook myself -to a more methodical investigation of the affair. In the first place -I considered the manner in which the parchment had come into my -possession. The spot where we discovered the scarabaeus was on the coast -of the main land, about a mile eastward of the island, and but a short -distance above high water mark. Upon my taking hold of it, it gave me a -sharp bite, which caused me to let it drop. Jupiter, with his accustomed -caution, before seizing the insect, which had flown towards him, looked -about him for a leaf, or something of that nature, by which to take hold -of it. It was at this moment that his eyes, and mine also, fell upon the -scrap of parchment, which I then supposed to be paper. It was lying half -buried in the sand, a corner sticking up. Near the spot where we found -it, I observed the remnants of the hull of what appeared to have been a -ship's long boat. The wreck seemed to have been there for a very great -while; for the resemblance to boat timbers could scarcely be traced. - -"Well, Jupiter picked up the parchment, wrapped the beetle in it, and -gave it to me. Soon afterwards we turned to go home, and on the way met -Lieutenant G-. I showed him the insect, and he begged me to let him -take it to the fort. Upon my consenting, he thrust it forthwith into his -waistcoat pocket, without the parchment in which it had been wrapped, -and which I had continued to hold in my hand during his inspection. -Perhaps he dreaded my changing my mind, and thought it best to make sure -of the prize at once--you know how enthusiastic he is on all subjects -connected with Natural History. At the same time, without being -conscious of it, I must have deposited the parchment in my own pocket. - -"You remember that when I went to the table, for the purpose of making -a sketch of the beetle, I found no paper where it was usually kept. -I looked in the drawer, and found none there. I searched my pockets, -hoping to find an old letter, when my hand fell upon the parchment. I -thus detail the precise mode in which it came into my possession; for -the circumstances impressed me with peculiar force. - -"No doubt you will think me fanciful--but I had already established a -kind of connexion. I had put together two links of a great chain. There -was a boat lying upon a sea-coast, and not far from the boat was a -parchment--not a paper--with a skull depicted upon it. You will, -of course, ask 'where is the connexion?' I reply that the skull, or -death's-head, is the well-known emblem of the pirate. The flag of the -death's head is hoisted in all engagements. - -"I have said that the scrap was parchment, and not paper. Parchment -is durable--almost imperishable. Matters of little moment are rarely -consigned to parchment; since, for the mere ordinary purposes of drawing -or writing, it is not nearly so well adapted as paper. This reflection -suggested some meaning--some relevancy--in the death's-head. I did not -fail to observe, also, the form of the parchment. Although one of its -corners had been, by some accident, destroyed, it could be seen that the -original form was oblong. It was just such a slip, indeed, as might -have been chosen for a memorandum--for a record of something to be long -remembered and carefully preserved." - -"But," I interposed, "you say that the skull was not upon the parchment -when you made the drawing of the beetle. How then do you trace any -connexion between the boat and the skull--since this latter, according -to your own admission, must have been designed (God only knows how or by -whom) at some period subsequent to your sketching the scarabæus?" - -"Ah, hereupon turns the whole mystery; although the secret, at this -point, I had comparatively little difficulty in solving. My steps were -sure, and could afford but a single result. I reasoned, for example, -thus: When I drew the scarabæus, there was no skull apparent upon -the parchment. When I had completed the drawing I gave it to you, and -observed you narrowly until you returned it. You, therefore, did not -design the skull, and no one else was present to do it. Then it was not -done by human agency. And nevertheless it was done. - -"At this stage of my reflections I endeavored to remember, and did -remember, with entire distinctness, every incident which occurred about -the period in question. The weather was chilly (oh rare and happy -accident!), and a fire was blazing upon the hearth. I was heated with -exercise and sat near the table. You, however, had drawn a chair close -to the chimney. Just as I placed the parchment in your hand, and as you -were in the act of inspecting it, Wolf, the Newfoundland, entered, -and leaped upon your shoulders. With your left hand you caressed him and -kept him off, while your right, holding the parchment, was permitted to -fall listlessly between your knees, and in close proximity to the fire. -At one moment I thought the blaze had caught it, and was about to -caution you, but, before I could speak, you had withdrawn it, and were -engaged in its examination. When I considered all these particulars, I -doubted not for a moment that heat had been the agent in bringing to -light, upon the parchment, the skull which I saw designed upon it. You -are well aware that chemical preparations exist, and have existed time -out of mind, by means of which it is possible to write upon either paper -or vellum, so that the characters shall become visible only when -subjected to the action of fire. Zaffre, digested in aqua regia, and -diluted with four times its weight of water, is sometimes employed; a -green tint results. The regulus of cobalt, dissolved in spirit of nitre, -gives a red. These colors disappear at longer or shorter intervals after -the material written upon cools, but again become apparent upon the -re-application of heat. - -"I now scrutinized the death's-head with care. Its outer edges--the -edges of the drawing nearest the edge of the vellum--were far more -distinct than the others. It was clear that the action of the caloric -had been imperfect or unequal. I immediately kindled a fire, and -subjected every portion of the parchment to a glowing heat. At first, -the only effect was the strengthening of the faint lines in the skull; -but, upon persevering in the experiment, there became visible, at -the corner of the slip, diagonally opposite to the spot in which the -death's-head was delineated, the figure of what I at first supposed to -be a goat. A closer scrutiny, however, satisfied me that it was intended -for a kid." - -"Ha! ha!" said I, "to be sure I have no right to laugh at you--a million -and a half of money is too serious a matter for mirth--but you are not -about to establish a third link in your chain--you will not find any -especial connexion between your pirates and a goat--pirates, you know, -have nothing to do with goats; they appertain to the farming interest." - -"But I have just said that the figure was not that of a goat." - -"Well, a kid then--pretty much the same thing." - -"Pretty much, but not altogether," said Legrand. "You may have heard of -one Captain Kidd. I at once looked upon the figure of the animal as a -kind of punning or hieroglyphical signature. I say signature; because -its position upon the vellum suggested this idea. The death's-head at -the corner diagonally opposite, had, in the same manner, the air of a -stamp, or seal. But I was sorely put out by the absence of all else--of -the body to my imagined instrument--of the text for my context." - -"I presume you expected to find a letter between the stamp and the -signature." - -"Something of that kind. The fact is, I felt irresistibly impressed with -a presentiment of some vast good fortune impending. I can scarcely -say why. Perhaps, after all, it was rather a desire than an actual -belief;--but do you know that Jupiter's silly words, about the bug -being of solid gold, had a remarkable effect upon my fancy? And then the -series of accidents and coincidences--these were so very extraordinary. -Do you observe how mere an accident it was that these events should have -occurred upon the sole day of all the year in which it has been, or may -be, sufficiently cool for fire, and that without the fire, or without -the intervention of the dog at the precise moment in which he appeared, -I should never have become aware of the death's-head, and so never the -possessor of the treasure?" - -"But proceed--I am all impatience." - -"Well; you have heard, of course, the many stories current--the thousand -vague rumors afloat about money buried, somewhere upon the Atlantic -coast, by Kidd and his associates. These rumors must have had some -foundation in fact. And that the rumors have existed so long and so -continuous, could have resulted, it appeared to me, only from the -circumstance of the buried treasure still remaining entombed. Had Kidd -concealed his plunder for a time, and afterwards reclaimed it, the -rumors would scarcely have reached us in their present unvarying form. -You will observe that the stories told are all about money-seekers, -not about money-finders. Had the pirate recovered his money, there the -affair would have dropped. It seemed to me that some accident--say the -loss of a memorandum indicating its locality--had deprived him of the -means of recovering it, and that this accident had become known to his -followers, who otherwise might never have heard that treasure had been -concealed at all, and who, busying themselves in vain, because unguided -attempts, to regain it, had given first birth, and then universal -currency, to the reports which are now so common. Have you ever heard of -any important treasure being unearthed along the coast?" - -"Never." - -"But that Kidd's accumulations were immense, is well known. I took it -for granted, therefore, that the earth still held them; and you will -scarcely be surprised when I tell you that I felt a hope, nearly -amounting to certainty, that the parchment so strangely found, involved -a lost record of the place of deposit." - -"But how did you proceed?" - -"I held the vellum again to the fire, after increasing the heat; but -nothing appeared. I now thought it possible that the coating of dirt -might have something to do with the failure; so I carefully rinsed the -parchment by pouring warm water over it, and, having done this, I -placed it in a tin pan, with the skull downwards, and put the pan upon -a furnace of lighted charcoal. In a few minutes, the pan having become -thoroughly heated, I removed the slip, and, to my inexpressible joy, -found it spotted, in several places, with what appeared to be figures -arranged in lines. Again I placed it in the pan, and suffered it to -remain another minute. Upon taking it off, the whole was just as you see -it now." Here Legrand, having re-heated the parchment, submitted it to -my inspection. The following characters were rudely traced, in a red -tint, between the death's-head and the goat: - - "53##|305))6*;4826)4#)4#);806*;48|8¶60))85;1#);:# - *8|83(88)5*|;46(;88*96*?;8)*#(;485);5*|2:*#(;4956* - 2(5*--4)8¶8*;4069285);)6|8)4##;1(#9;48081;8:8#1;4 - 8|85;4)485|528806*81(#9;48;(88;4(#?34;48)4#;161;: - 188;#?;" - -"But," said I, returning him the slip, "I am as much in the dark as -ever. Were all the jewels of Golconda awaiting me upon my solution of -this enigma, I am quite sure that I should be unable to earn them." - -"And yet," said Legrand, "the solution is by no means so difficult as -you might be lead to imagine from the first hasty inspection of the -characters. These characters, as any one might readily guess, form a -cipher--that is to say, they convey a meaning; but then, from what is -known of Kidd, I could not suppose him capable of constructing any of -the more abstruse cryptographs. I made up my mind, at once, that this -was of a simple species--such, however, as would appear, to the crude -intellect of the sailor, absolutely insoluble without the key." - -"And you really solved it?" - -"Readily; I have solved others of an abstruseness ten thousand times -greater. Circumstances, and a certain bias of mind, have led me to -take interest in such riddles, and it may well be doubted whether human -ingenuity can construct an enigma of the kind which human ingenuity may -not, by proper application, resolve. In fact, having once established -connected and legible characters, I scarcely gave a thought to the mere -difficulty of developing their import. - -"In the present case--indeed in all cases of secret writing--the first -question regards the language of the cipher; for the principles of -solution, so far, especially, as the more simple ciphers are concerned, -depend upon, and are varied by, the genius of the particular idiom. -In general, there is no alternative but experiment (directed by -probabilities) of every tongue known to him who attempts the solution, -until the true one be attained. But, with the cipher now before us, all -difficulty was removed by the signature. The pun upon the word 'Kidd' -is appreciable in no other language than the English. But for this -consideration I should have begun my attempts with the Spanish and -French, as the tongues in which a secret of this kind would most -naturally have been written by a pirate of the Spanish main. As it was, -I assumed the cryptograph to be English. - -"You observe there are no divisions between the words. Had there been -divisions, the task would have been comparatively easy. In such case -I should have commenced with a collation and analysis of the shorter -words, and, had a word of a single letter occurred, as is most likely, -(a or I, for example,) I should have considered the solution as assured. -But, there being no division, my first step was to ascertain the -predominant letters, as well as the least frequent. Counting all, I -constructed a table, thus: - -Of the character 8 there are 33. - - ; " 26. - 4 " 19. - # ) " 16. - * " 13. - 5 " 12. - 6 " 11. - | 1 " 8. - 0 " 6. - 9 2 " 5. - : 3 " 4. - ? " 3. - ¶ " 2. - -. " 1. - -"Now, in English, the letter which most frequently occurs is e. -Afterwards, succession runs thus: _a o i d h n r s t u y c f g l m w b k -p q x z_. _E_ predominates so remarkably that an individual sentence of -any length is rarely seen, in which it is not the prevailing character. - -"Here, then, we leave, in the very beginning, the groundwork for -something more than a mere guess. The general use which may be made of -the table is obvious--but, in this particular cipher, we shall only very -partially require its aid. As our predominant character is 8, we will -commence by assuming it as the _e_ of the natural alphabet. To verify -the supposition, let us observe if the 8 be seen often in couples--for -_e_ is doubled with great frequency in English--in such words, for -example, as 'meet,' '.fleet,' 'speed,' 'seen,' been,' 'agree,' &c. In -the present instance we see it doubled no less than five times, although -the cryptograph is brief. - -"Let us assume 8, then, as _e_. Now, of all _words_ in the language, -'the' is most usual; let us see, therefore, whether there are not -repetitions of any three characters, in the same order of collocation, -the last of them being 8. If we discover repetitions of such letters, -so arranged, they will most probably represent the word 'the.' Upon -inspection, we find no less than seven such arrangements, the characters -being;48. We may, therefore, assume that; represents _t_, 4 represents -_h_, and 8 represents _e_--the last being now well confirmed. Thus a -great step has been taken. - -"But, having established a single word, we are enabled to establish -a vastly important point; that is to say, several commencements and -terminations of other words. Let us refer, for example, to the last -instance but one, in which the combination;48 occurs--not far from -the end of the cipher. We know that the; immediately ensuing is the -commencement of a word, and, of the six characters succeeding this -'the,' we are cognizant of no less than five. Let us set these -characters down, thus, by the letters we know them to represent, leaving -a space for the unknown-- - -t eeth. - -"Here we are enabled, at once, to discard the 'th,' as forming no -portion of the word commencing with the first t; since, by experiment -of the entire alphabet for a letter adapted to the vacancy, we perceive -that no word can be formed of which this _th_ can be a part. We are thus -narrowed into - -t ee, - -and, going through the alphabet, if necessary, as before, we arrive -at the word 'tree,' as the sole possible reading. We thus gain -another letter, _r_, represented by (, with the words 'the tree' in -juxtaposition. - -"Looking beyond these words, for a short distance, we again see -the combination;48, and employ it by way of _termination_ to what -immediately precedes. We have thus this arrangement: - -the tree;4(#?34 the, - -or, substituting the natural letters, where known, it reads thus: - -the tree thr#?3h the. - -"Now, if, in place of the unknown characters, we leave blank spaces, or -substitute dots, we read thus: - -the tree thr...h the, - -when the word '_through_' makes itself evident at once. But this -discovery gives us three new letters, _o_, _u_ and _g_, represented by -#? and 3. - -"Looking now, narrowly, through the cipher for combinations of known -characters, we find, not very far from the beginning, this arrangement, - -83(88, or egree, - -which, plainly, is the conclusion of the word 'degree,' and gives us -another letter, _d_, represented by |. - -"Four letters beyond the word 'degree,' we perceive the combination - -;46(;88. - -"Translating the known characters, and representing the unknown by dots, -as before, we read thus: th rtee. an arrangement immediately suggestive -of the word 'thirteen,' and again furnishing us with two new characters, -_i_ and _n_, represented by 6 and *. - -"Referring, now, to the beginning of the cryptograph, we find the -combination, - -53##|. - -"Translating, as before, we obtain - -good, - -which assures us that the first letter is _A_, and that the first two -words are 'A good.' - -"It is now time that we arrange our key, as far as discovered, in a -tabular form, to avoid confusion. It will stand thus: - - 5 represents a - | " d - 8 " e - 3 " g - 4 " h - 6 " i - * " n - # " o - ( " r - ; " t - -"We have, therefore, no less than ten of the most important letters -represented, and it will be unnecessary to proceed with the details of -the solution. I have said enough to convince you that ciphers of this -nature are readily soluble, and to give you some insight into the -rationale of their development. But be assured that the specimen before -us appertains to the very simplest species of cryptograph. It now only -remains to give you the full translation of the characters upon the -parchment, as unriddled. Here it is: - -"'_A good glass in the bishop's hostel in the devil's seat forty-one -degrees and thirteen minutes northeast and by north main branch seventh -limb east side shoot from the left eye of the death's-head a bee line -from the tree through the shot fifty feet out_.'" - -"But," said I, "the enigma seems still in as bad a condition as ever. -How is it possible to extort a meaning from all this jargon about -'devil's seats,' 'death's heads,' and 'bishop's hotels?'" - -"I confess," replied Legrand, "that the matter still wears a serious -aspect, when regarded with a casual glance. My first endeavor was -to divide the sentence into the natural division intended by the -cryptographist." - -"You mean, to punctuate it?" - -"Something of that kind." - -"But how was it possible to effect this?" - -"I reflected that it had been a point with the writer to run his words -together without division, so as to increase the difficulty of solution. -Now, a not over-acute man, in pursuing such an object would be nearly -certain to overdo the matter. When, in the course of his composition, he -arrived at a break in his subject which would naturally require a pause, -or a point, he would be exceedingly apt to run his characters, at this -place, more than usually close together. If you will observe the MS., in -the present instance, you will easily detect five such cases of unusual -crowding. Acting upon this hint, I made the division thus: 'A good -glass in the Bishop's hostel in the Devil's seat--forty-one degrees and -thirteen minutes--northeast and by north--main branch seventh limb east -side--shoot from the left eye of the death's-head--a bee-line from the -tree through the shot fifty feet out.'" - -"Even this division," said I, "leaves me still in the dark." - -"It left me also in the dark," replied Legrand, "for a few days; during -which I made diligent inquiry, in the neighborhood of Sullivan's Island, -for any building which went by the name of the 'Bishop's Hotel;' for, of -course, I dropped the obsolete word 'hostel.' Gaining no information on -the subject, I was on the point of extending my sphere of search, and -proceeding in a more systematic manner, when, one morning, it entered -into my head, quite suddenly, that this 'Bishop's Hostel' might have -some reference to an old family, of the name of Bessop, which, time out -of mind, had held possession of an ancient manor-house, about four -miles to the northward of the Island. I accordingly went over to the -plantation, and re-instituted my inquiries among the older negroes of -the place. At length one of the most aged of the women said that she -had heard of such a place as Bessop's Castle, and thought that she could -guide me to it, but that it was not a castle nor a tavern, but a high -rock. - -"I offered to pay her well for her trouble, and, after some demur, -she consented to accompany me to the spot. We found it without much -difficulty, when, dismissing her, I proceeded to examine the place. The -'castle' consisted of an irregular assemblage of cliffs and rocks--one -of the latter being quite remarkable for its height as well as for its -insulated and artificial appearance I clambered to its apex, and then -felt much at a loss as to what should be next done. - -"While I was busied in reflection, my eyes fell upon a narrow ledge in -the eastern face of the rock, perhaps a yard below the summit upon which -I stood. This ledge projected about eighteen inches, and was not more -than a foot wide, while a niche in the cliff just above it, gave it -a rude resemblance to one of the hollow-backed chairs used by our -ancestors. I made no doubt that here was the 'devil's seat' alluded to -in the MS., and now I seemed to grasp the full secret of the riddle. - -"The 'good glass,' I knew, could have reference to nothing but a -telescope; for the word 'glass' is rarely employed in any other sense -by seamen. Now here, I at once saw, was a telescope to be used, and a -definite point of view, admitting no variation, from which to use it. -Nor did I hesitate to believe that the phrases, "forty-one degrees -and thirteen minutes,' and 'northeast and by north,' were intended as -directions for the levelling of the glass. Greatly excited by these -discoveries, I hurried home, procured a telescope, and returned to the -rock. - -"I let myself down to the ledge, and found that it was impossible to -retain a seat upon it except in one particular position. This fact -confirmed my preconceived idea. I proceeded to use the glass. Of course, -the 'forty-one degrees and thirteen minutes' could allude to nothing but -elevation above the visible horizon, since the horizontal direction was -clearly indicated by the words, 'northeast and by north.' This latter -direction I at once established by means of a pocket-compass; then, -pointing the glass as nearly at an angle of forty-one degrees of -elevation as I could do it by guess, I moved it cautiously up or down, -until my attention was arrested by a circular rift or opening in the -foliage of a large tree that overtopped its fellows in the distance. -In the centre of this rift I perceived a white spot, but could not, at -first, distinguish what it was. Adjusting the focus of the telescope, I -again looked, and now made it out to be a human skull. - -"Upon this discovery I was so sanguine as to consider the enigma solved; -for the phrase 'main branch, seventh limb, east side,' could refer only -to the position of the skull upon the tree, while 'shoot from the left -eye of the death's head' admitted, also, of but one interpretation, in -regard to a search for buried treasure. I perceived that the design was -to drop a bullet from the left eye of the skull, and that a bee-line, -or, in other words, a straight line, drawn from the nearest point of -the trunk through 'the shot,' (or the spot where the bullet fell,) and -thence extended to a distance of fifty feet, would indicate a definite -point--and beneath this point I thought it at least possible that a -deposit of value lay concealed." - -"All this," I said, "is exceedingly clear, and, although ingenious, -still simple and explicit. When you left the Bishop's Hotel, what then?" - -"Why, having carefully taken the bearings of the tree, I turned -homewards. The instant that I left 'the devil's seat,' however, the -circular rift vanished; nor could I get a glimpse of it afterwards, turn -as I would. What seems to me the chief ingenuity in this whole business, -is the fact (for repeated experiment has convinced me it is a fact) that -the circular opening in question is visible from no other attainable -point of view than that afforded by the narrow ledge upon the face of -the rock. - -"In this expedition to the 'Bishop's Hotel' I had been attended -by Jupiter, who had, no doubt, observed, for some weeks past, the -abstraction of my demeanor, and took especial care not to leave me -alone. But, on the next day, getting up very early, I contrived to give -him the slip, and went into the hills in search of the tree. After much -toil I found it. When I came home at night my valet proposed to give -me a flogging. With the rest of the adventure I believe you are as well -acquainted as myself." - -"I suppose," said I, "you missed the spot, in the first attempt at -digging, through Jupiter's stupidity in letting the bug fall through the -right instead of through the left eye of the skull." - -"Precisely. This mistake made a difference of about two inches and a -half in the 'shot'--that is to say, in the position of the peg nearest -the tree; and had the treasure been beneath the 'shot,' the error would -have been of little moment; but 'the shot,' together with the nearest -point of the tree, were merely two points for the establishment of -a line of direction; of course the error, however trivial in the -beginning, increased as we proceeded with the line, and by the time -we had gone fifty feet, threw us quite off the scent. But for my -deep-seated impressions that treasure was here somewhere actually -buried, we might have had all our labor in vain." - -"But your grandiloquence, and your conduct in swinging the beetle--how -excessively odd! I was sure you were mad. And why did you insist upon -letting fall the bug, instead of a bullet, from the skull?" - -"Why, to be frank, I felt somewhat annoyed by your evident suspicions -touching my sanity, and so resolved to punish you quietly, in my own -way, by a little bit of sober mystification. For this reason I swung -the beetle, and for this reason I let it fall it from the tree. An -observation of yours about its great weight suggested the latter idea." - -"Yes, I perceive; and now there is only one point which puzzles me. What -are we to make of the skeletons found in the hole?" - -"That is a question I am no more able to answer than yourself. There -seems, however, only one plausible way of accounting for them--and yet -it is dreadful to believe in such atrocity as my suggestion would imply. -It is clear that Kidd--if Kidd indeed secreted this treasure, which I -doubt not--it is clear that he must have had assistance in the labor. -But this labor concluded, he may have thought it expedient to remove -all participants in his secret. Perhaps a couple of blows with a mattock -were sufficient, while his coadjutors were busy in the pit; perhaps it -required a dozen--who shall tell?" - - - - -FOUR BEASTS IN ONE--THE HOMO-CAMELEOPARD - - Chacun a ses vertus. - --_Crebillon's Xerxes._ - -ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES is very generally looked upon as the Gog of the -prophet Ezekiel. This honor is, however, more properly attributable to -Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. And, indeed, the character of the -Syrian monarch does by no means stand in need of any adventitious -embellishment. His accession to the throne, or rather his usurpation of -the sovereignty, a hundred and seventy-one years before the coming -of Christ; his attempt to plunder the temple of Diana at Ephesus; his -implacable hostility to the Jews; his pollution of the Holy of Holies; -and his miserable death at Taba, after a tumultuous reign of eleven -years, are circumstances of a prominent kind, and therefore more -generally noticed by the historians of his time than the impious, -dastardly, cruel, silly, and whimsical achievements which make up the -sum total of his private life and reputation. - -Let us suppose, gentle reader, that it is now the year of the world -three thousand eight hundred and thirty, and let us, for a few minutes, -imagine ourselves at that most grotesque habitation of man, the -remarkable city of Antioch. To be sure there were, in Syria and other -countries, sixteen cities of that appellation, besides the one to which -I more particularly allude. But ours is that which went by the name of -Antiochia Epidaphne, from its vicinity to the little village of Daphne, -where stood a temple to that divinity. It was built (although about this -matter there is some dispute) by Seleucus Nicanor, the first king of the -country after Alexander the Great, in memory of his father Antiochus, -and became immediately the residence of the Syrian monarchy. In the -flourishing times of the Roman Empire, it was the ordinary station of -the prefect of the eastern provinces; and many of the emperors of the -queen city (among whom may be mentioned, especially, Verus and Valens) -spent here the greater part of their time. But I perceive we have -arrived at the city itself. Let us ascend this battlement, and throw our -eyes upon the town and neighboring country. - -"What broad and rapid river is that which forces its way, with -innumerable falls, through the mountainous wilderness, and finally -through the wilderness of buildings?" - -That is the Orontes, and it is the only water in sight, with the -exception of the Mediterranean, which stretches, like a broad mirror, -about twelve miles off to the southward. Every one has seen the -Mediterranean; but let me tell you, there are few who have had a peep at -Antioch. By few, I mean, few who, like you and me, have had, at the same -time, the advantages of a modern education. Therefore cease to regard -that sea, and give your whole attention to the mass of houses that lie -beneath us. You will remember that it is now the year of the world three -thousand eight hundred and thirty. Were it later--for example, were -it the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and forty-five, we should be -deprived of this extraordinary spectacle. In the nineteenth century -Antioch is--that is to say, Antioch will be--in a lamentable state -of decay. It will have been, by that time, totally destroyed, at three -different periods, by three successive earthquakes. Indeed, to say the -truth, what little of its former self may then remain, will be found in -so desolate and ruinous a state that the patriarch shall have removed -his residence to Damascus. This is well. I see you profit by my advice, -and are making the most of your time in inspecting the premises--in - --satisfying your eyes - -With the memorials and the things of fame - -That most renown this city.-- - -I beg pardon; I had forgotten that Shakespeare will not flourish for -seventeen hundred and fifty years to come. But does not the appearance -of Epidaphne justify me in calling it grotesque? - -"It is well fortified; and in this respect is as much indebted to nature -as to art." - -Very true. - -"There are a prodigious number of stately palaces." - -There are. - -"And the numerous temples, sumptuous and magnificent, may bear -comparison with the most lauded of antiquity." - -All this I must acknowledge. Still there is an infinity of mud huts, and -abominable hovels. We cannot help perceiving abundance of filth in -every kennel, and, were it not for the over-powering fumes of idolatrous -incense, I have no doubt we should find a most intolerable stench. -Did you ever behold streets so insufferably narrow, or houses so -miraculously tall? What gloom their shadows cast upon the ground! It -is well the swinging lamps in those endless colonnades are kept burning -throughout the day; we should otherwise have the darkness of Egypt in -the time of her desolation. - -"It is certainly a strange place! What is the meaning of yonder singular -building? See! it towers above all others, and lies to the eastward of -what I take to be the royal palace." - -That is the new Temple of the Sun, who is adored in Syria under the -title of Elah Gabalah. Hereafter a very notorious Roman Emperor -will institute this worship in Rome, and thence derive a cognomen, -Heliogabalus. I dare say you would like to take a peep at the divinity -of the temple. You need not look up at the heavens; his Sunship is not -there--at least not the Sunship adored by the Syrians. That deity will -be found in the interior of yonder building. He is worshipped under the -figure of a large stone pillar terminating at the summit in a cone or -pyramid, whereby is denoted Fire. - -"Hark--behold!--who can those ridiculous beings be, half naked, with -their faces painted, shouting and gesticulating to the rabble?" - -Some few are mountebanks. Others more particularly belong to the race -of philosophers. The greatest portion, however--those especially who -belabor the populace with clubs--are the principal courtiers of the -palace, executing as in duty bound, some laudable comicality of the -king's. - -"But what have we here? Heavens! the town is swarming with wild beasts! -How terrible a spectacle!--how dangerous a peculiarity!" - -Terrible, if you please; but not in the least degree dangerous. Each -animal if you will take the pains to observe, is following, very -quietly, in the wake of its master. Some few, to be sure, are led with a -rope about the neck, but these are chiefly the lesser or timid species. -The lion, the tiger, and the leopard are entirely without restraint. -They have been trained without difficulty to their present -profession, and attend upon their respective owners in the capacity of -valets-de-chambre. It is true, there are occasions when Nature asserts -her violated dominions;--but then the devouring of a man-at-arms, or the -throttling of a consecrated bull, is a circumstance of too little moment -to be more than hinted at in Epidaphne. - -"But what extraordinary tumult do I hear? Surely this is a loud noise -even for Antioch! It argues some commotion of unusual interest." - -Yes--undoubtedly. The king has ordered some novel spectacle--some -gladiatorial exhibition at the hippodrome--or perhaps the massacre of -the Scythian prisoners--or the conflagration of his new palace--or the -tearing down of a handsome temple--or, indeed, a bonfire of a few Jews. -The uproar increases. Shouts of laughter ascend the skies. The air -becomes dissonant with wind instruments, and horrible with clamor of a -million throats. Let us descend, for the love of fun, and see what is -going on! This way--be careful! Here we are in the principal street, -which is called the street of Timarchus. The sea of people is coming -this way, and we shall find a difficulty in stemming the tide. They are -pouring through the alley of Heraclides, which leads directly from the -palace;--therefore the king is most probably among the rioters. Yes;--I -hear the shouts of the herald proclaiming his approach in the pompous -phraseology of the East. We shall have a glimpse of his person as -he passes by the temple of Ashimah. Let us ensconce ourselves in the -vestibule of the sanctuary; he will be here anon. In the meantime let -us survey this image. What is it? Oh! it is the god Ashimah in proper -person. You perceive, however, that he is neither a lamb, nor a -goat, nor a satyr, neither has he much resemblance to the Pan of the -Arcadians. Yet all these appearances have been given--I beg pardon--will -be given--by the learned of future ages, to the Ashimah of the Syrians. -Put on your spectacles, and tell me what it is. What is it? - -"Bless me! it is an ape!" - -True--a baboon; but by no means the less a deity. His name is a -derivation of the Greek Simia--what great fools are antiquarians! But -see!--see!--yonder scampers a ragged little urchin. Where is he going? -What is he bawling about? What does he say? Oh! he says the king -is coming in triumph; that he is dressed in state; that he has just -finished putting to death, with his own hand, a thousand chained -Israelitish prisoners! For this exploit the ragamuffin is lauding him to -the skies. Hark! here comes a troop of a similar description. They have -made a Latin hymn upon the valor of the king, and are singing it as they -go: - -Mille, mille, mille, - -Mille, mille, mille, - -Decollavimus, unus homo! - -Mille, mille, mille, mille, decollavimus! - -Mille, mille, mille, - -Vivat qui mille mille occidit! - -Tantum vini habet nemo - -Quantum sanguinis effudit!(*1) - -Which may be thus paraphrased: - -A thousand, a thousand, a thousand, - -A thousand, a thousand, a thousand, - -We, with one warrior, have slain! - -A thousand, a thousand, a thousand, a thousand. - -Sing a thousand over again! - -Soho!--let us sing - -Long life to our king, - -Who knocked over a thousand so fine! - -Soho!--let us roar, - -He has given us more - -Red gallons of gore - -Than all Syria can furnish of wine! - -"Do you hear that flourish of trumpets?" - -Yes: the king is coming! See! the people are aghast with admiration, -and lift up their eyes to the heavens in reverence. He comes;--he is -coming;--there he is! - -"Who?--where?--the king?--do not behold him--cannot say that I perceive -him." - -Then you must be blind. - -"Very possible. Still I see nothing but a tumultuous mob of idiots -and madmen, who are busy in prostrating themselves before a gigantic -cameleopard, and endeavoring to obtain a kiss of the animal's hoofs. -See! the beast has very justly kicked one of the rabble over--and -another--and another--and another. Indeed, I cannot help admiring the -animal for the excellent use he is making of his feet." - -Rabble, indeed!--why these are the noble and free citizens of Epidaphne! -Beasts, did you say?--take care that you are not overheard. Do you not -perceive that the animal has the visage of a man? Why, my dear sir, -that cameleopard is no other than Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus the -Illustrious, King of Syria, and the most potent of all the autocrats -of the East! It is true, that he is entitled, at times, Antiochus -Epimanes--Antiochus the madman--but that is because all people have not -the capacity to appreciate his merits. It is also certain that he is at -present ensconced in the hide of a beast, and is doing his best to play -the part of a cameleopard; but this is done for the better sustaining -his dignity as king. Besides, the monarch is of gigantic stature, -and the dress is therefore neither unbecoming nor over large. We may, -however, presume he would not have adopted it but for some occasion -of especial state. Such, you will allow, is the massacre of a thousand -Jews. With how superior a dignity the monarch perambulates on all fours! -His tail, you perceive, is held aloft by his two principal concubines, -Elline and Argelais; and his whole appearance would be infinitely -prepossessing, were it not for the protuberance of his eyes, which will -certainly start out of his head, and the queer color of his face, which -has become nondescript from the quantity of wine he has swallowed. Let -us follow him to the hippodrome, whither he is proceeding, and listen to -the song of triumph which he is commencing: - -Who is king but Epiphanes? - -Say--do you know? - -Who is king but Epiphanes? - -Bravo!--bravo! - -There is none but Epiphanes, - -No--there is none: - -So tear down the temples, - -And put out the sun! - -Well and strenuously sung! The populace are hailing him 'Prince of -Poets,' as well as 'Glory of the East,' 'Delight of the Universe,' and -'Most Remarkable of Cameleopards.' They have encored his effusion, -and do you hear?--he is singing it over again. When he arrives at the -hippodrome, he will be crowned with the poetic wreath, in anticipation -of his victory at the approaching Olympics. - -"But, good Jupiter! what is the matter in the crowd behind us?" - -Behind us, did you say?--oh! ah!--I perceive. My friend, it is well -that you spoke in time. Let us get into a place of safety as soon as -possible. Here!--let us conceal ourselves in the arch of this aqueduct, -and I will inform you presently of the origin of the commotion. It has -turned out as I have been anticipating. The singular appearance of the -cameleopard and the head of a man, has, it seems, given offence to -the notions of propriety entertained, in general, by the wild animals -domesticated in the city. A mutiny has been the result; and, as is usual -upon such occasions, all human efforts will be of no avail in quelling -the mob. Several of the Syrians have already been devoured; but the -general voice of the four-footed patriots seems to be for eating up the -cameleopard. 'The Prince of Poets,' therefore, is upon his hinder legs, -running for his life. His courtiers have left him in the lurch, and -his concubines have followed so excellent an example. 'Delight of the -Universe,' thou art in a sad predicament! 'Glory of the East,' thou art -in danger of mastication! Therefore never regard so piteously thy tail; -it will undoubtedly be draggled in the mud, and for this there is no -help. Look not behind thee, then, at its unavoidable degradation; but -take courage, ply thy legs with vigor, and scud for the hippodrome! -Remember that thou art Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus the -Illustrious!--also 'Prince of Poets,' 'Glory of the East,' 'Delight of -the Universe,' and 'Most Remarkable of Cameleopards!' Heavens! what a -power of speed thou art displaying! What a capacity for leg-bail -thou art developing! Run, Prince!--Bravo, Epiphanes! Well done, -Cameleopard!--Glorious Antiochus!--He runs!--he leaps!--he flies! Like -an arrow from a catapult he approaches the hippodrome! He leaps!--he -shrieks!--he is there! This is well; for hadst thou, 'Glory of -the East,' been half a second longer in reaching the gates of the -Amphitheatre, there is not a bear's cub in Epidaphne that would not -have had a nibble at thy carcase. Let us be off--let us take our -departure!--for we shall find our delicate modern ears unable to endure -the vast uproar which is about to commence in celebration of the king's -escape! Listen! it has already commenced. See!--the whole town is -topsy-turvy. - -"Surely this is the most populous city of the East! What a wilderness -of people! what a jumble of all ranks and ages! what a multiplicity -of sects and nations! what a variety of costumes! what a Babel of -languages! what a screaming of beasts! what a tinkling of instruments! -what a parcel of philosophers!" - -Come let us be off. - -"Stay a moment! I see a vast hubbub in the hippodrome; what is the -meaning of it, I beseech you?" - -That?--oh, nothing! The noble and free citizens of Epidaphne being, as -they declare, well satisfied of the faith, valor, wisdom, and divinity -of their king, and having, moreover, been eye-witnesses of his late -superhuman agility, do think it no more than their duty to invest his -brows (in addition to the poetic crown) with the wreath of victory -in the footrace--a wreath which it is evident he must obtain at the -celebration of the next Olympiad, and which, therefore, they now give -him in advance. - - -Footnotes--Four Beasts - -(*1) Flavius Vospicus says, that the hymn here introduced was sung by -the rabble upon the occasion of Aurelian, in the Sarmatic war, having -slain, with his own hand, nine hundred and fifty of the enemy. - - - - -THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE - - What song the Syrens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid - himself among women, although puzzling questions, are not beyond - _all_ conjecture. - - --_Sir Thomas Browne._ - - -The mental features discoursed of as the analytical, are, in themselves, -but little susceptible of analysis. We appreciate them only in their -effects. We know of them, among other things, that they are always to -their possessor, when inordinately possessed, a source of the liveliest -enjoyment. As the strong man exults in his physical ability, delighting -in such exercises as call his muscles into action, so glories the -analyst in that moral activity which _disentangles._ He derives pleasure -from even the most trivial occupations bringing his talent into play. He -is fond of enigmas, of conundrums, of hieroglyphics; exhibiting in his -solutions of each a degree of _acumen_ which appears to the ordinary -apprehension præternatural. His results, brought about by the very soul -and essence of method, have, in truth, the whole air of intuition. - -The faculty of re-solution is possibly much invigorated by mathematical -study, and especially by that highest branch of it which, unjustly, and -merely on account of its retrograde operations, has been called, as -if _par excellence_, analysis. Yet to calculate is not in itself to -analyse. A chess-player, for example, does the one without effort at -the other. It follows that the game of chess, in its effects upon mental -character, is greatly misunderstood. I am not now writing a treatise, -but simply prefacing a somewhat peculiar narrative by observations very -much at random; I will, therefore, take occasion to assert that the -higher powers of the reflective intellect are more decidedly and more -usefully tasked by the unostentatious game of draughts than by all the -elaborate frivolity of chess. In this latter, where the pieces have -different and _bizarre_ motions, with various and variable values, what -is only complex is mistaken (a not unusual error) for what is profound. -The _attention_ is here called powerfully into play. If it flag for an -instant, an oversight is committed resulting in injury or defeat. The -possible moves being not only manifold but involute, the chances of such -oversights are multiplied; and in nine cases out of ten it is the -more concentrative rather than the more acute player who conquers. In -draughts, on the contrary, where the moves are _unique_ and have but -little variation, the probabilities of inadvertence are diminished, and -the mere attention being left comparatively unemployed, what advantages -are obtained by either party are obtained by superior _acumen_. To be -less abstract--Let us suppose a game of draughts where the pieces are -reduced to four kings, and where, of course, no oversight is to be -expected. It is obvious that here the victory can be decided (the -players being at all equal) only by some _recherché_ movement, the -result of some strong exertion of the intellect. Deprived of ordinary -resources, the analyst throws himself into the spirit of his opponent, -identifies himself therewith, and not unfrequently sees thus, at a -glance, the sole methods (sometime indeed absurdly simple ones) by which -he may seduce into error or hurry into miscalculation. - -Whist has long been noted for its influence upon what is termed the -calculating power; and men of the highest order of intellect have been -known to take an apparently unaccountable delight in it, while eschewing -chess as frivolous. Beyond doubt there is nothing of a similar nature -so greatly tasking the faculty of analysis. The best chess-player in -Christendom _may_ be little more than the best player of chess; but -proficiency in whist implies capacity for success in all those more -important undertakings where mind struggles with mind. When I say -proficiency, I mean that perfection in the game which includes a -comprehension of _all_ the sources whence legitimate advantage may be -derived. These are not only manifold but multiform, and lie frequently -among recesses of thought altogether inaccessible to the ordinary -understanding. To observe attentively is to remember distinctly; and, -so far, the concentrative chess-player will do very well at whist; while -the rules of Hoyle (themselves based upon the mere mechanism of the -game) are sufficiently and generally comprehensible. Thus to have a -retentive memory, and to proceed by "the book," are points commonly -regarded as the sum total of good playing. But it is in matters beyond -the limits of mere rule that the skill of the analyst is evinced. He -makes, in silence, a host of observations and inferences. So, perhaps, -do his companions; and the difference in the extent of the information -obtained, lies not so much in the validity of the inference as in the -quality of the observation. The necessary knowledge is that of _what_ to -observe. Our player confines himself not at all; nor, because the game -is the object, does he reject deductions from things external to the -game. He examines the countenance of his partner, comparing it carefully -with that of each of his opponents. He considers the mode of assorting -the cards in each hand; often counting trump by trump, and honor by -honor, through the glances bestowed by their holders upon each. He notes -every variation of face as the play progresses, gathering a fund -of thought from the differences in the expression of certainty, of -surprise, of triumph, or of chagrin. From the manner of gathering up -a trick he judges whether the person taking it can make another in the -suit. He recognises what is played through feint, by the air with -which it is thrown upon the table. A casual or inadvertent word; the -accidental dropping or turning of a card, with the accompanying anxiety -or carelessness in regard to its concealment; the counting of the -tricks, with the order of their arrangement; embarrassment, hesitation, -eagerness or trepidation--all afford, to his apparently intuitive -perception, indications of the true state of affairs. The first two -or three rounds having been played, he is in full possession of the -contents of each hand, and thenceforward puts down his cards with as -absolute a precision of purpose as if the rest of the party had turned -outward the faces of their own. - -The analytical power should not be confounded with ample ingenuity; for -while the analyst is necessarily ingenious, the ingenious man is often -remarkably incapable of analysis. The constructive or combining power, -by which ingenuity is usually manifested, and to which the phrenologists -(I believe erroneously) have assigned a separate organ, supposing it a -primitive faculty, has been so frequently seen in those whose intellect -bordered otherwise upon idiocy, as to have attracted general observation -among writers on morals. Between ingenuity and the analytic ability -there exists a difference far greater, indeed, than that between the -fancy and the imagination, but of a character very strictly analogous. -It will be found, in fact, that the ingenious are always fanciful, and -the _truly_ imaginative never otherwise than analytic. - -The narrative which follows will appear to the reader somewhat in the -light of a commentary upon the propositions just advanced. - -Residing in Paris during the spring and part of the summer of 18--, I -there became acquainted with a Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin. This young -gentleman was of an excellent--indeed of an illustrious family, but, by -a variety of untoward events, had been reduced to such poverty that the -energy of his character succumbed beneath it, and he ceased to bestir -himself in the world, or to care for the retrieval of his fortunes. -By courtesy of his creditors, there still remained in his possession a -small remnant of his patrimony; and, upon the income arising from this, -he managed, by means of a rigorous economy, to procure the necessaries -of life, without troubling himself about its superfluities. Books, -indeed, were his sole luxuries, and in Paris these are easily obtained. - -Our first meeting was at an obscure library in the Rue Montmartre, where -the accident of our both being in search of the same very rare and very -remarkable volume, brought us into closer communion. We saw each other -again and again. I was deeply interested in the little family history -which he detailed to me with all that candor which a Frenchman indulges -whenever mere self is his theme. I was astonished, too, at the vast -extent of his reading; and, above all, I felt my soul enkindled within -me by the wild fervor, and the vivid freshness of his imagination. -Seeking in Paris the objects I then sought, I felt that the society of -such a man would be to me a treasure beyond price; and this feeling I -frankly confided to him. It was at length arranged that we should live -together during my stay in the city; and as my worldly circumstances -were somewhat less embarrassed than his own, I was permitted to be -at the expense of renting, and furnishing in a style which suited the -rather fantastic gloom of our common temper, a time-eaten and grotesque -mansion, long deserted through superstitions into which we did not -inquire, and tottering to its fall in a retired and desolate portion of -the Faubourg St. Germain. - -Had the routine of our life at this place been known to the world, we -should have been regarded as madmen--although, perhaps, as madmen of -a harmless nature. Our seclusion was perfect. We admitted no visitors. -Indeed the locality of our retirement had been carefully kept a secret -from my own former associates; and it had been many years since Dupin -had ceased to know or be known in Paris. We existed within ourselves -alone. - -It was a freak of fancy in my friend (for what else shall I call it?) to -be enamored of the Night for her own sake; and into this _bizarrerie_, -as into all his others, I quietly fell; giving myself up to his wild -whims with a perfect _abandon_. The sable divinity would not herself -dwell with us always; but we could counterfeit her presence. At the -first dawn of the morning we closed all the messy shutters of our old -building; lighting a couple of tapers which, strongly perfumed, threw -out only the ghastliest and feeblest of rays. By the aid of these we -then busied our souls in dreams--reading, writing, or conversing, until -warned by the clock of the advent of the true Darkness. Then we sallied -forth into the streets arm in arm, continuing the topics of the day, or -roaming far and wide until a late hour, seeking, amid the wild lights -and shadows of the populous city, that infinity of mental excitement -which quiet observation can afford. - -At such times I could not help remarking and admiring (although from -his rich ideality I had been prepared to expect it) a peculiar analytic -ability in Dupin. He seemed, too, to take an eager delight in its -exercise--if not exactly in its display--and did not hesitate to confess -the pleasure thus derived. He boasted to me, with a low chuckling laugh, -that most men, in respect to himself, wore windows in their bosoms, -and was wont to follow up such assertions by direct and very startling -proofs of his intimate knowledge of my own. His manner at these moments -was frigid and abstract; his eyes were vacant in expression; while his -voice, usually a rich tenor, rose into a treble which would have sounded -petulantly but for the deliberateness and entire distinctness of the -enunciation. Observing him in these moods, I often dwelt meditatively -upon the old philosophy of the Bi-Part Soul, and amused myself with the -fancy of a double Dupin--the creative and the resolvent. - -Let it not be supposed, from what I have just said, that I am detailing -any mystery, or penning any romance. What I have described in the -Frenchman, was merely the result of an excited, or perhaps of a diseased -intelligence. But of the character of his remarks at the periods in -question an example will best convey the idea. - -We were strolling one night down a long dirty street in the vicinity of -the Palais Royal. Being both, apparently, occupied with thought, neither -of us had spoken a syllable for fifteen minutes at least. All at once -Dupin broke forth with these words: - -"He is a very little fellow, that's true, and would do better for the -_Théâtre des Variétés_." - -"There can be no doubt of that," I replied unwittingly, and not at first -observing (so much had I been absorbed in reflection) the extraordinary -manner in which the speaker had chimed in with my meditations. In -an instant afterward I recollected myself, and my astonishment was -profound. - -"Dupin," said I, gravely, "this is beyond my comprehension. I do not -hesitate to say that I am amazed, and can scarcely credit my senses. How -was it possible you should know I was thinking of -----?" Here I paused, -to ascertain beyond a doubt whether he really knew of whom I thought. - ---"of Chantilly," said he, "why do you pause? You were remarking to -yourself that his diminutive figure unfitted him for tragedy." - -This was precisely what had formed the subject of my reflections. -Chantilly was a _quondam_ cobbler of the Rue St. Denis, who, becoming -stage-mad, had attempted the _rôle_ of Xerxes, in Crébillon's tragedy so -called, and been notoriously Pasquinaded for his pains. - -"Tell me, for Heaven's sake," I exclaimed, "the method--if method there -is--by which you have been enabled to fathom my soul in this matter." In -fact I was even more startled than I would have been willing to express. - -"It was the fruiterer," replied my friend, "who brought you to the -conclusion that the mender of soles was not of sufficient height for -Xerxes _et id genus omne_." - -"The fruiterer!--you astonish me--I know no fruiterer whomsoever." - -"The man who ran up against you as we entered the street--it may have -been fifteen minutes ago." - -I now remembered that, in fact, a fruiterer, carrying upon his head a -large basket of apples, had nearly thrown me down, by accident, as we -passed from the Rue C ---- into the thoroughfare where we stood; but -what this had to do with Chantilly I could not possibly understand. - -There was not a particle of _charlatanerie_ about Dupin. "I will -explain," he said, "and that you may comprehend all clearly, we will -first retrace the course of your meditations, from the moment in which -I spoke to you until that of the _rencontre_ with the fruiterer in -question. The larger links of the chain run thus--Chantilly, Orion, Dr. -Nichols, Epicurus, Stereotomy, the street stones, the fruiterer." - -There are few persons who have not, at some period of their lives, -amused themselves in retracing the steps by which particular conclusions -of their own minds have been attained. The occupation is often full of -interest and he who attempts it for the first time is astonished by -the apparently illimitable distance and incoherence between the -starting-point and the goal. What, then, must have been my amazement -when I heard the Frenchman speak what he had just spoken, and when I -could not help acknowledging that he had spoken the truth. He continued: - -"We had been talking of horses, if I remember aright, just before -leaving the Rue C ----. This was the last subject we discussed. As we -crossed into this street, a fruiterer, with a large basket upon his -head, brushing quickly past us, thrust you upon a pile of paving stones -collected at a spot where the causeway is undergoing repair. You stepped -upon one of the loose fragments, slipped, slightly strained your ankle, -appeared vexed or sulky, muttered a few words, turned to look at the -pile, and then proceeded in silence. I was not particularly attentive to -what you did; but observation has become with me, of late, a species of -necessity. - -"You kept your eyes upon the ground--glancing, with a petulant -expression, at the holes and ruts in the pavement, (so that I saw you -were still thinking of the stones,) until we reached the little alley -called Lamartine, which has been paved, by way of experiment, with the -overlapping and riveted blocks. Here your countenance brightened up, -and, perceiving your lips move, I could not doubt that you murmured the -word 'stereotomy,' a term very affectedly applied to this species of -pavement. I knew that you could not say to yourself 'stereotomy' without -being brought to think of atomies, and thus of the theories of Epicurus; -and since, when we discussed this subject not very long ago, I mentioned -to you how singularly, yet with how little notice, the vague guesses -of that noble Greek had met with confirmation in the late nebular -cosmogony, I felt that you could not avoid casting your eyes upward to -the great _nebula_ in Orion, and I certainly expected that you would do -so. You did look up; and I was now assured that I had correctly followed -your steps. But in that bitter _tirade_ upon Chantilly, which appeared -in yesterday's '_Musée_,' the satirist, making some disgraceful -allusions to the cobbler's change of name upon assuming the buskin, -quoted a Latin line about which we have often conversed. I mean the line - - Perdidit antiquum litera sonum. - -"I had told you that this was in reference to Orion, formerly written -Urion; and, from certain pungencies connected with this explanation, I -was aware that you could not have forgotten it. It was clear, therefore, -that you would not fail to combine the two ideas of Orion and Chantilly. -That you did combine them I saw by the character of the smile which -passed over your lips. You thought of the poor cobbler's immolation. So -far, you had been stooping in your gait; but now I saw you draw yourself -up to your full height. I was then sure that you reflected upon the -diminutive figure of Chantilly. At this point I interrupted your -meditations to remark that as, in fact, he was a very little -fellow--that Chantilly--he would do better at the _Théâtre des -Variétés_." - -Not long after this, we were looking over an evening edition of the -"Gazette des Tribunaux," when the following paragraphs arrested our -attention. - -"EXTRAORDINARY MURDERS.--This morning, about three o'clock, the -inhabitants of the Quartier St. Roch were aroused from sleep by a -succession of terrific shrieks, issuing, apparently, from the fourth -story of a house in the Rue Morgue, known to be in the sole occupancy of -one Madame L'Espanaye, and her daughter Mademoiselle Camille L'Espanaye. -After some delay, occasioned by a fruitless attempt to procure admission -in the usual manner, the gateway was broken in with a crowbar, and eight -or ten of the neighbors entered accompanied by two _gendarmes_. By this -time the cries had ceased; but, as the party rushed up the first -flight of stairs, two or more rough voices in angry contention were -distinguished and seemed to proceed from the upper part of the house. -As the second landing was reached, these sounds, also, had ceased and -everything remained perfectly quiet. The party spread themselves and -hurried from room to room. Upon arriving at a large back chamber in -the fourth story, (the door of which, being found locked, with the key -inside, was forced open,) a spectacle presented itself which struck -every one present not less with horror than with astonishment. - -"The apartment was in the wildest disorder--the furniture broken and -thrown about in all directions. There was only one bedstead; and from -this the bed had been removed, and thrown into the middle of the floor. -On a chair lay a razor, besmeared with blood. On the hearth were two or -three long and thick tresses of grey human hair, also dabbled in blood, -and seeming to have been pulled out by the roots. Upon the floor were -found four Napoleons, an ear-ring of topaz, three large silver spoons, -three smaller of_ métal d'Alger_, and two bags, containing nearly four -thousand francs in gold. The drawers of a _bureau_, which stood in -one corner were open, and had been, apparently, rifled, although many -articles still remained in them. A small iron safe was discovered under -the _bed_ (not under the bedstead). It was open, with the key still in -the door. It had no contents beyond a few old letters, and other papers -of little consequence. - -"Of Madame L'Espanaye no traces were here seen; but an unusual quantity -of soot being observed in the fire-place, a search was made in the -chimney, and (horrible to relate!) the corpse of the daughter, head -downward, was dragged therefrom; it having been thus forced up the -narrow aperture for a considerable distance. The body was quite warm. -Upon examining it, many excoriations were perceived, no doubt occasioned -by the violence with which it had been thrust up and disengaged. Upon -the face were many severe scratches, and, upon the throat, dark bruises, -and deep indentations of finger nails, as if the deceased had been -throttled to death. - -"After a thorough investigation of every portion of the house, without -farther discovery, the party made its way into a small paved yard in -the rear of the building, where lay the corpse of the old lady, with her -throat so entirely cut that, upon an attempt to raise her, the head fell -off. The body, as well as the head, was fearfully mutilated--the former -so much so as scarcely to retain any semblance of humanity. - -"To this horrible mystery there is not as yet, we believe, the slightest -clew." - -The next day's paper had these additional particulars. - -"_The Tragedy in the Rue Morgue._ Many individuals have been examined -in relation to this most extraordinary and frightful affair. [The word -'affaire' has not yet, in France, that levity of import which it conveys -with us,] "but nothing whatever has transpired to throw light upon it. -We give below all the material testimony elicited. - -"_Pauline Dubourg_, laundress, deposes that she has known both the -deceased for three years, having washed for them during that period. -The old lady and her daughter seemed on good terms--very affectionate -towards each other. They were excellent pay. Could not speak in regard -to their mode or means of living. Believed that Madame L. told fortunes -for a living. Was reputed to have money put by. Never met any persons -in the house when she called for the clothes or took them home. Was sure -that they had no servant in employ. There appeared to be no furniture in -any part of the building except in the fourth story. - -"_Pierre Moreau_, tobacconist, deposes that he has been in the habit of -selling small quantities of tobacco and snuff to Madame L'Espanaye for -nearly four years. Was born in the neighborhood, and has always resided -there. The deceased and her daughter had occupied the house in which the -corpses were found, for more than six years. It was formerly occupied by -a jeweller, who under-let the upper rooms to various persons. The house -was the property of Madame L. She became dissatisfied with the abuse of -the premises by her tenant, and moved into them herself, refusing to let -any portion. The old lady was childish. Witness had seen the daughter -some five or six times during the six years. The two lived an -exceedingly retired life--were reputed to have money. Had heard it said -among the neighbors that Madame L. told fortunes--did not believe it. -Had never seen any person enter the door except the old lady and her -daughter, a porter once or twice, and a physician some eight or ten -times. - -"Many other persons, neighbors, gave evidence to the same effect. No one -was spoken of as frequenting the house. It was not known whether there -were any living connexions of Madame L. and her daughter. The shutters -of the front windows were seldom opened. Those in the rear were always -closed, with the exception of the large back room, fourth story. The -house was a good house--not very old. - -"_Isidore Muset_, _gendarme_, deposes that he was called to the house -about three o'clock in the morning, and found some twenty or thirty -persons at the gateway, endeavoring to gain admittance. Forced it open, -at length, with a bayonet--not with a crowbar. Had but little difficulty -in getting it open, on account of its being a double or folding gate, -and bolted neither at bottom not top. The shrieks were continued until -the gate was forced--and then suddenly ceased. They seemed to be screams -of some person (or persons) in great agony--were loud and drawn out, -not short and quick. Witness led the way up stairs. Upon reaching the -first landing, heard two voices in loud and angry contention--the one -a gruff voice, the other much shriller--a very strange voice. Could -distinguish some words of the former, which was that of a Frenchman. Was -positive that it was not a woman's voice. Could distinguish the words -'_sacré_' and '_diable._' The shrill voice was that of a foreigner. -Could not be sure whether it was the voice of a man or of a woman. Could -not make out what was said, but believed the language to be Spanish. The -state of the room and of the bodies was described by this witness as we -described them yesterday. - -"_Henri Duval_, a neighbor, and by trade a silver-smith, deposes that -he was one of the party who first entered the house. Corroborates the -testimony of Muset in general. As soon as they forced an entrance, they -reclosed the door, to keep out the crowd, which collected very fast, -notwithstanding the lateness of the hour. The shrill voice, this witness -thinks, was that of an Italian. Was certain it was not French. Could not -be sure that it was a man's voice. It might have been a woman's. Was not -acquainted with the Italian language. Could not distinguish the words, -but was convinced by the intonation that the speaker was an Italian. -Knew Madame L. and her daughter. Had conversed with both frequently. Was -sure that the shrill voice was not that of either of the deceased. - -"--_Odenheimer, restaurateur._ This witness volunteered his testimony. -Not speaking French, was examined through an interpreter. Is a native of -Amsterdam. Was passing the house at the time of the shrieks. They lasted -for several minutes--probably ten. They were long and loud--very awful -and distressing. Was one of those who entered the building. Corroborated -the previous evidence in every respect but one. Was sure that the shrill -voice was that of a man--of a Frenchman. Could not distinguish the -words uttered. They were loud and quick--unequal--spoken apparently in -fear as well as in anger. The voice was harsh--not so much shrill as -harsh. Could not call it a shrill voice. The gruff voice said repeatedly -'_sacré_,' '_diable_,' and once '_mon Dieu._' - -"_Jules Mignaud_, banker, of the firm of Mignaud et Fils, Rue Deloraine. -Is the elder Mignaud. Madame L'Espanaye had some property. Had opened an -account with his banking house in the spring of the year--(eight years -previously). Made frequent deposits in small sums. Had checked for -nothing until the third day before her death, when she took out in -person the sum of 4000 francs. This sum was paid in gold, and a clerk -went home with the money. - -"_Adolphe Le Bon_, clerk to Mignaud et Fils, deposes that on the day in -question, about noon, he accompanied Madame L'Espanaye to her residence -with the 4000 francs, put up in two bags. Upon the door being opened, -Mademoiselle L. appeared and took from his hands one of the bags, while -the old lady relieved him of the other. He then bowed and departed. Did -not see any person in the street at the time. It is a bye-street--very -lonely. - -"_William Bird_, tailor deposes that he was one of the party who entered -the house. Is an Englishman. Has lived in Paris two years. Was one of -the first to ascend the stairs. Heard the voices in contention. The -gruff voice was that of a Frenchman. Could make out several words, but -cannot now remember all. Heard distinctly '_sacré_' and '_mon Dieu._' -There was a sound at the moment as if of several persons struggling--a -scraping and scuffling sound. The shrill voice was very loud--louder -than the gruff one. Is sure that it was not the voice of an Englishman. -Appeared to be that of a German. Might have been a woman's voice. Does -not understand German. - -"Four of the above-named witnesses, being recalled, deposed that the -door of the chamber in which was found the body of Mademoiselle L. -was locked on the inside when the party reached it. Every thing was -perfectly silent--no groans or noises of any kind. Upon forcing the door -no person was seen. The windows, both of the back and front room, were -down and firmly fastened from within. A door between the two rooms was -closed, but not locked. The door leading from the front room into the -passage was locked, with the key on the inside. A small room in the -front of the house, on the fourth story, at the head of the passage was -open, the door being ajar. This room was crowded with old beds, boxes, -and so forth. These were carefully removed and searched. There was not -an inch of any portion of the house which was not carefully searched. -Sweeps were sent up and down the chimneys. The house was a four story -one, with garrets (_mansardes._) A trap-door on the roof was nailed down -very securely--did not appear to have been opened for years. The -time elapsing between the hearing of the voices in contention and the -breaking open of the room door, was variously stated by the witnesses. -Some made it as short as three minutes--some as long as five. The door -was opened with difficulty. - -"_Alfonzo Garcio_, undertaker, deposes that he resides in the Rue -Morgue. Is a native of Spain. Was one of the party who entered the -house. Did not proceed up stairs. Is nervous, and was apprehensive of -the consequences of agitation. Heard the voices in contention. The gruff -voice was that of a Frenchman. Could not distinguish what was said. -The shrill voice was that of an Englishman--is sure of this. Does not -understand the English language, but judges by the intonation. - -"_Alberto Montani_, confectioner, deposes that he was among the first -to ascend the stairs. Heard the voices in question. The gruff voice was -that of a Frenchman. Distinguished several words. The speaker appeared -to be expostulating. Could not make out the words of the shrill voice. -Spoke quick and unevenly. Thinks it the voice of a Russian. Corroborates -the general testimony. Is an Italian. Never conversed with a native of -Russia. - -"Several witnesses, recalled, here testified that the chimneys of all -the rooms on the fourth story were too narrow to admit the passage of a -human being. By 'sweeps' were meant cylindrical sweeping brushes, such -as are employed by those who clean chimneys. These brushes were passed -up and down every flue in the house. There is no back passage by which -any one could have descended while the party proceeded up stairs. The -body of Mademoiselle L'Espanaye was so firmly wedged in the chimney that -it could not be got down until four or five of the party united their -strength. - -"_Paul Dumas_, physician, deposes that he was called to view the -bodies about day-break. They were both then lying on the sacking of the -bedstead in the chamber where Mademoiselle L. was found. The corpse of -the young lady was much bruised and excoriated. The fact that it -had been thrust up the chimney would sufficiently account for these -appearances. The throat was greatly chafed. There were several deep -scratches just below the chin, together with a series of livid spots -which were evidently the impression of fingers. The face was fearfully -discolored, and the eye-balls protruded. The tongue had been partially -bitten through. A large bruise was discovered upon the pit of the -stomach, produced, apparently, by the pressure of a knee. In the opinion -of M. Dumas, Mademoiselle L'Espanaye had been throttled to death by -some person or persons unknown. The corpse of the mother was horribly -mutilated. All the bones of the right leg and arm were more or less -shattered. The left _tibia_ much splintered, as well as all the ribs of -the left side. Whole body dreadfully bruised and discolored. It was not -possible to say how the injuries had been inflicted. A heavy club of -wood, or a broad bar of iron--a chair--any large, heavy, and obtuse -weapon would have produced such results, if wielded by the hands of -a very powerful man. No woman could have inflicted the blows with any -weapon. The head of the deceased, when seen by witness, was entirely -separated from the body, and was also greatly shattered. The throat -had evidently been cut with some very sharp instrument--probably with a -razor. - -"_Alexandre Etienne_, surgeon, was called with M. Dumas to view the -bodies. Corroborated the testimony, and the opinions of M. Dumas. - -"Nothing farther of importance was elicited, although several other -persons were examined. A murder so mysterious, and so perplexing in all -its particulars, was never before committed in Paris--if indeed a murder -has been committed at all. The police are entirely at fault--an unusual -occurrence in affairs of this nature. There is not, however, the shadow -of a clew apparent." - -The evening edition of the paper stated that the greatest excitement -still continued in the Quartier St. Roch--that the premises in question -had been carefully re-searched, and fresh examinations of witnesses -instituted, but all to no purpose. A postscript, however, mentioned -that Adolphe Le Bon had been arrested and imprisoned--although nothing -appeared to criminate him, beyond the facts already detailed. - -Dupin seemed singularly interested in the progress of this affair--at -least so I judged from his manner, for he made no comments. It was only -after the announcement that Le Bon had been imprisoned, that he asked me -my opinion respecting the murders. - -I could merely agree with all Paris in considering them an insoluble -mystery. I saw no means by which it would be possible to trace the -murderer. - -"We must not judge of the means," said Dupin, "by this shell of an -examination. The Parisian police, so much extolled for _acumen_, are -cunning, but no more. There is no method in their proceedings, beyond -the method of the moment. They make a vast parade of measures; but, not -unfrequently, these are so ill adapted to the objects proposed, as -to put us in mind of Monsieur Jourdain's calling for his -_robe-de-chambre--pour mieux entendre la musique._ The results attained -by them are not unfrequently surprising, but, for the most part, are -brought about by simple diligence and activity. When these qualities are -unavailing, their schemes fail. Vidocq, for example, was a good -guesser and a persevering man. But, without educated thought, he erred -continually by the very intensity of his investigations. He impaired his -vision by holding the object too close. He might see, perhaps, one or -two points with unusual clearness, but in so doing he, necessarily, lost -sight of the matter as a whole. Thus there is such a thing as being too -profound. Truth is not always in a well. In fact, as regards the more -important knowledge, I do believe that she is invariably superficial. -The depth lies in the valleys where we seek her, and not upon the -mountain-tops where she is found. The modes and sources of this kind of -error are well typified in the contemplation of the heavenly bodies. -To look at a star by glances--to view it in a side-long way, by turning -toward it the exterior portions of the _retina_ (more susceptible of -feeble impressions of light than the interior), is to behold the star -distinctly--is to have the best appreciation of its lustre--a lustre -which grows dim just in proportion as we turn our vision _fully_ upon -it. A greater number of rays actually fall upon the eye in the latter -case, but, in the former, there is the more refined capacity for -comprehension. By undue profundity we perplex and enfeeble thought; and -it is possible to make even Venus herself vanish from the firmanent by a -scrutiny too sustained, too concentrated, or too direct. - -"As for these murders, let us enter into some examinations for -ourselves, before we make up an opinion respecting them. An inquiry will -afford us amusement," [I thought this an odd term, so applied, but said -nothing] "and, besides, Le Bon once rendered me a service for which I -am not ungrateful. We will go and see the premises with our own eyes. -I know G----, the Prefect of Police, and shall have no difficulty in -obtaining the necessary permission." - -The permission was obtained, and we proceeded at once to the Rue Morgue. -This is one of those miserable thoroughfares which intervene between the -Rue Richelieu and the Rue St. Roch. It was late in the afternoon when we -reached it; as this quarter is at a great distance from that in which we -resided. The house was readily found; for there were still many persons -gazing up at the closed shutters, with an objectless curiosity, from -the opposite side of the way. It was an ordinary Parisian house, with -a gateway, on one side of which was a glazed watch-box, with a sliding -panel in the window, indicating a _loge de concierge._ Before going in -we walked up the street, turned down an alley, and then, again turning, -passed in the rear of the building--Dupin, meanwhile examining the whole -neighborhood, as well as the house, with a minuteness of attention for -which I could see no possible object. - -Retracing our steps, we came again to the front of the dwelling, rang, -and, having shown our credentials, were admitted by the agents -in charge. We went up stairs--into the chamber where the body of -Mademoiselle L'Espanaye had been found, and where both the deceased -still lay. The disorders of the room had, as usual, been suffered to -exist. I saw nothing beyond what had been stated in the "Gazette des -Tribunaux." Dupin scrutinized every thing--not excepting the bodies of -the victims. We then went into the other rooms, and into the yard; a -_gendarme_ accompanying us throughout. The examination occupied us until -dark, when we took our departure. On our way home my companion stepped -in for a moment at the office of one of the daily papers. - -I have said that the whims of my friend were manifold, and that _Je les -ménageais_:--for this phrase there is no English equivalent. It was his -humor, now, to decline all conversation on the subject of the murder, -until about noon the next day. He then asked me, suddenly, if I had -observed any thing _peculiar_ at the scene of the atrocity. - -There was something in his manner of emphasizing the word "peculiar," -which caused me to shudder, without knowing why. - -"No, nothing _peculiar_," I said; "nothing more, at least, than we both -saw stated in the paper." - -"The 'Gazette,'" he replied, "has not entered, I fear, into the unusual -horror of the thing. But dismiss the idle opinions of this print. It -appears to me that this mystery is considered insoluble, for the very -reason which should cause it to be regarded as easy of solution--I mean -for the _outré_ character of its features. The police are confounded by -the seeming absence of motive--not for the murder itself--but for -the atrocity of the murder. They are puzzled, too, by the seeming -impossibility of reconciling the voices heard in contention, with -the facts that no one was discovered up stairs but the assassinated -Mademoiselle L'Espanaye, and that there were no means of egress without -the notice of the party ascending. The wild disorder of the room; the -corpse thrust, with the head downward, up the chimney; the frightful -mutilation of the body of the old lady; these considerations, with those -just mentioned, and others which I need not mention, have sufficed -to paralyze the powers, by putting completely at fault the boasted -_acumen_, of the government agents. They have fallen into the gross but -common error of confounding the unusual with the abstruse. But it is by -these deviations from the plane of the ordinary, that reason feels its -way, if at all, in its search for the true. In investigations such as we -are now pursuing, it should not be so much asked 'what has occurred,' -as 'what has occurred that has never occurred before.' In fact, the -facility with which I shall arrive, or have arrived, at the solution of -this mystery, is in the direct ratio of its apparent insolubility in the -eyes of the police." - -I stared at the speaker in mute astonishment. - -"I am now awaiting," continued he, looking toward the door of our -apartment--"I am now awaiting a person who, although perhaps not -the perpetrator of these butcheries, must have been in some measure -implicated in their perpetration. Of the worst portion of the crimes -committed, it is probable that he is innocent. I hope that I am right -in this supposition; for upon it I build my expectation of reading the -entire riddle. I look for the man here--in this room--every moment. It -is true that he may not arrive; but the probability is that he will. -Should he come, it will be necessary to detain him. Here are pistols; -and we both know how to use them when occasion demands their use." - -I took the pistols, scarcely knowing what I did, or believing what -I heard, while Dupin went on, very much as if in a soliloquy. I have -already spoken of his abstract manner at such times. His discourse was -addressed to myself; but his voice, although by no means loud, had that -intonation which is commonly employed in speaking to some one at a great -distance. His eyes, vacant in expression, regarded only the wall. - -"That the voices heard in contention," he said, "by the party upon the -stairs, were not the voices of the women themselves, was fully proved -by the evidence. This relieves us of all doubt upon the question whether -the old lady could have first destroyed the daughter and afterward have -committed suicide. I speak of this point chiefly for the sake of method; -for the strength of Madame L'Espanaye would have been utterly unequal -to the task of thrusting her daughter's corpse up the chimney as it -was found; and the nature of the wounds upon her own person entirely -preclude the idea of self-destruction. Murder, then, has been committed -by some third party; and the voices of this third party were those heard -in contention. Let me now advert--not to the whole testimony respecting -these voices--but to what was _peculiar_ in that testimony. Did you -observe any thing peculiar about it?" - -I remarked that, while all the witnesses agreed in supposing the gruff -voice to be that of a Frenchman, there was much disagreement in regard -to the shrill, or, as one individual termed it, the harsh voice. - -"That was the evidence itself," said Dupin, "but it was not the -peculiarity of the evidence. You have observed nothing distinctive. -Yet there _was_ something to be observed. The witnesses, as you remark, -agreed about the gruff voice; they were here unanimous. But in regard to -the shrill voice, the peculiarity is--not that they disagreed--but -that, while an Italian, an Englishman, a Spaniard, a Hollander, and a -Frenchman attempted to describe it, each one spoke of it as that _of -a foreigner_. Each is sure that it was not the voice of one of his own -countrymen. Each likens it--not to the voice of an individual of any -nation with whose language he is conversant--but the converse. -The Frenchman supposes it the voice of a Spaniard, and 'might have -distinguished some words _had he been acquainted with the Spanish._' The -Dutchman maintains it to have been that of a Frenchman; but we find it -stated that '_not understanding French this witness was examined through -an interpreter._' The Englishman thinks it the voice of a German, and -'_does not understand German._' The Spaniard 'is sure' that it was that -of an Englishman, but 'judges by the intonation' altogether, '_as he has -no knowledge of the English._' The Italian believes it the voice of a -Russian, but '_has never conversed with a native of Russia._' A second -Frenchman differs, moreover, with the first, and is positive that the -voice was that of an Italian; but, _not being cognizant of that tongue_, -is, like the Spaniard, 'convinced by the intonation.' Now, how strangely -unusual must that voice have really been, about which such testimony as -this _could_ have been elicited!--in whose _tones_, even, denizens of -the five great divisions of Europe could recognise nothing familiar! You -will say that it might have been the voice of an Asiatic--of an African. -Neither Asiatics nor Africans abound in Paris; but, without denying the -inference, I will now merely call your attention to three points. -The voice is termed by one witness 'harsh rather than shrill.' It -is represented by two others to have been 'quick and _unequal._' No -words--no sounds resembling words--were by any witness mentioned as -distinguishable. - -"I know not," continued Dupin, "what impression I may have made, so -far, upon your own understanding; but I do not hesitate to say that -legitimate deductions even from this portion of the testimony--the -portion respecting the gruff and shrill voices--are in themselves -sufficient to engender a suspicion which should give direction to all -farther progress in the investigation of the mystery. I said 'legitimate -deductions;' but my meaning is not thus fully expressed. I designed -to imply that the deductions are the _sole_ proper ones, and that the -suspicion arises _inevitably_ from them as the single result. What the -suspicion is, however, I will not say just yet. I merely wish you to -bear in mind that, with myself, it was sufficiently forcible to give a -definite form--a certain tendency--to my inquiries in the chamber. - -"Let us now transport ourselves, in fancy, to this chamber. What shall -we first seek here? The means of egress employed by the murderers. It is -not too much to say that neither of us believe in præternatural events. -Madame and Mademoiselle L'Espanaye were not destroyed by spirits. The -doers of the deed were material, and escaped materially. Then how? -Fortunately, there is but one mode of reasoning upon the point, and that -mode _must_ lead us to a definite decision.--Let us examine, each by -each, the possible means of egress. It is clear that the assassins were -in the room where Mademoiselle L'Espanaye was found, or at least in the -room adjoining, when the party ascended the stairs. It is then only from -these two apartments that we have to seek issues. The police have laid -bare the floors, the ceilings, and the masonry of the walls, in every -direction. No _secret_ issues could have escaped their vigilance. But, -not trusting to _their_ eyes, I examined with my own. There were, then, -no secret issues. Both doors leading from the rooms into the passage -were securely locked, with the keys inside. Let us turn to the chimneys. -These, although of ordinary width for some eight or ten feet above the -hearths, will not admit, throughout their extent, the body of a large -cat. The impossibility of egress, by means already stated, being thus -absolute, we are reduced to the windows. Through those of the front room -no one could have escaped without notice from the crowd in the street. -The murderers _must_ have passed, then, through those of the back room. -Now, brought to this conclusion in so unequivocal a manner as we are, -it is not our part, as reasoners, to reject it on account of apparent -impossibilities. It is only left for us to prove that these apparent -'impossibilities' are, in reality, not such. - -"There are two windows in the chamber. One of them is unobstructed by -furniture, and is wholly visible. The lower portion of the other is -hidden from view by the head of the unwieldy bedstead which is thrust -close up against it. The former was found securely fastened from within. -It resisted the utmost force of those who endeavored to raise it. A -large gimlet-hole had been pierced in its frame to the left, and a very -stout nail was found fitted therein, nearly to the head. Upon examining -the other window, a similar nail was seen similarly fitted in it; and -a vigorous attempt to raise this sash, failed also. The police were now -entirely satisfied that egress had not been in these directions. And, -_therefore_, it was thought a matter of supererogation to withdraw the -nails and open the windows. - -"My own examination was somewhat more particular, and was so for the -reason I have just given--because here it was, I knew, that all apparent -impossibilities _must_ be proved to be not such in reality. - -"I proceeded to think thus--_a posteriori_. The murderers did escape -from one of these windows. This being so, they could not have refastened -the sashes from the inside, as they were found fastened;--the -consideration which put a stop, through its obviousness, to the scrutiny -of the police in this quarter. Yet the sashes _were_ fastened. They -_must_, then, have the power of fastening themselves. There was no -escape from this conclusion. I stepped to the unobstructed casement, -withdrew the nail with some difficulty and attempted to raise the sash. -It resisted all my efforts, as I had anticipated. A concealed spring -must, I now know, exist; and this corroboration of my idea convinced -me that my premises at least, were correct, however mysterious still -appeared the circumstances attending the nails. A careful search soon -brought to light the hidden spring. I pressed it, and, satisfied with -the discovery, forbore to upraise the sash. - -"I now replaced the nail and regarded it attentively. A person passing -out through this window might have reclosed it, and the spring would -have caught--but the nail could not have been replaced. The conclusion -was plain, and again narrowed in the field of my investigations. The -assassins _must_ have escaped through the other window. Supposing, then, -the springs upon each sash to be the same, as was probable, there _must_ -be found a difference between the nails, or at least between the modes -of their fixture. Getting upon the sacking of the bedstead, I looked -over the head-board minutely at the second casement. Passing my hand -down behind the board, I readily discovered and pressed the spring, -which was, as I had supposed, identical in character with its neighbor. -I now looked at the nail. It was as stout as the other, and apparently -fitted in the same manner--driven in nearly up to the head. - -"You will say that I was puzzled; but, if you think so, you must have -misunderstood the nature of the inductions. To use a sporting phrase, -I had not been once 'at fault.' The scent had never for an instant -been lost. There was no flaw in any link of the chain. I had traced the -secret to its ultimate result,--and that result was _the nail._ It -had, I say, in every respect, the appearance of its fellow in the other -window; but this fact was an absolute nullity (conclusive us it might -seem to be) when compared with the consideration that here, at this -point, terminated the clew. 'There _must_ be something wrong,' I said, -'about the nail.' I touched it; and the head, with about a quarter of an -inch of the shank, came off in my fingers. The rest of the shank was in -the gimlet-hole where it had been broken off. The fracture was an old -one (for its edges were incrusted with rust), and had apparently been -accomplished by the blow of a hammer, which had partially imbedded, -in the top of the bottom sash, the head portion of the nail. I now -carefully replaced this head portion in the indentation whence I had -taken it, and the resemblance to a perfect nail was complete--the -fissure was invisible. Pressing the spring, I gently raised the sash -for a few inches; the head went up with it, remaining firm in its bed. -I closed the window, and the semblance of the whole nail was again -perfect. - -"The riddle, so far, was now unriddled. The assassin had escaped through -the window which looked upon the bed. Dropping of its own accord upon -his exit (or perhaps purposely closed), it had become fastened by the -spring; and it was the retention of this spring which had been mistaken -by the police for that of the nail,--farther inquiry being thus -considered unnecessary. - -"The next question is that of the mode of descent. Upon this point I had -been satisfied in my walk with you around the building. About five feet -and a half from the casement in question there runs a lightning-rod. -From this rod it would have been impossible for any one to reach the -window itself, to say nothing of entering it. I observed, however, that -the shutters of the fourth story were of the peculiar kind called by -Parisian carpenters _ferrades_--a kind rarely employed at the present -day, but frequently seen upon very old mansions at Lyons and Bordeaux. -They are in the form of an ordinary door, (a single, not a folding door) -except that the lower half is latticed or worked in open trellis--thus -affording an excellent hold for the hands. In the present instance these -shutters are fully three feet and a half broad. When we saw them from -the rear of the house, they were both about half open--that is to say, -they stood off at right angles from the wall. It is probable that the -police, as well as myself, examined the back of the tenement; but, if -so, in looking at these _ferrades_ in the line of their breadth (as they -must have done), they did not perceive this great breadth itself, or, -at all events, failed to take it into due consideration. In fact, having -once satisfied themselves that no egress could have been made in this -quarter, they would naturally bestow here a very cursory examination. -It was clear to me, however, that the shutter belonging to the window -at the head of the bed, would, if swung fully back to the wall, reach -to within two feet of the lightning-rod. It was also evident that, by -exertion of a very unusual degree of activity and courage, an entrance -into the window, from the rod, might have been thus effected.--By -reaching to the distance of two feet and a half (we now suppose the -shutter open to its whole extent) a robber might have taken a firm grasp -upon the trellis-work. Letting go, then, his hold upon the rod, placing -his feet securely against the wall, and springing boldly from it, he -might have swung the shutter so as to close it, and, if we imagine the -window open at the time, might even have swung himself into the room. - -"I wish you to bear especially in mind that I have spoken of a _very_ -unusual degree of activity as requisite to success in so hazardous and -so difficult a feat. It is my design to show you, first, that the thing -might possibly have been accomplished:--but, secondly and _chiefly_, I -wish to impress upon your understanding the _very extraordinary_--the -almost præternatural character of that agility which could have -accomplished it. - -"You will say, no doubt, using the language of the law, that 'to make -out my case,' I should rather undervalue, than insist upon a full -estimation of the activity required in this matter. This may be the -practice in law, but it is not the usage of reason. My ultimate object -is only the truth. My immediate purpose is to lead you to place in -juxtaposition, that _very unusual_ activity of which I have just spoken -with that _very peculiar_ shrill (or harsh) and _unequal_ voice, about -whose nationality no two persons could be found to agree, and in whose -utterance no syllabification could be detected." - -At these words a vague and half-formed conception of the meaning -of Dupin flitted over my mind. I seemed to be upon the verge of -comprehension without power to comprehend--men, at times, find -themselves upon the brink of remembrance without being able, in the end, -to remember. My friend went on with his discourse. - -"You will see," he said, "that I have shifted the question from the mode -of egress to that of ingress. It was my design to convey the idea that -both were effected in the same manner, at the same point. Let us now -revert to the interior of the room. Let us survey the appearances here. -The drawers of the bureau, it is said, had been rifled, although many -articles of apparel still remained within them. The conclusion here is -absurd. It is a mere guess--a very silly one--and no more. How are -we to know that the articles found in the drawers were not all these -drawers had originally contained? Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter -lived an exceedingly retired life--saw no company--seldom went out--had -little use for numerous changes of habiliment. Those found were at least -of as good quality as any likely to be possessed by these ladies. If a -thief had taken any, why did he not take the best--why did he not take -all? In a word, why did he abandon four thousand francs in gold to -encumber himself with a bundle of linen? The gold _was _abandoned. -Nearly the whole sum mentioned by Monsieur Mignaud, the banker, was -discovered, in bags, upon the floor. I wish you, therefore, to discard -from your thoughts the blundering idea of _motive_, engendered in the -brains of the police by that portion of the evidence which speaks of -money delivered at the door of the house. Coincidences ten times as -remarkable as this (the delivery of the money, and murder committed -within three days upon the party receiving it), happen to all of us -every hour of our lives, without attracting even momentary notice. -Coincidences, in general, are great stumbling-blocks in the way of that -class of thinkers who have been educated to know nothing of the theory -of probabilities--that theory to which the most glorious objects of -human research are indebted for the most glorious of illustration. In -the present instance, had the gold been gone, the fact of its delivery -three days before would have formed something more than a coincidence. -It would have been corroborative of this idea of motive. But, under the -real circumstances of the case, if we are to suppose gold the motive -of this outrage, we must also imagine the perpetrator so vacillating an -idiot as to have abandoned his gold and his motive together. - -"Keeping now steadily in mind the points to which I have drawn your -attention--that peculiar voice, that unusual agility, and that startling -absence of motive in a murder so singularly atrocious as this--let us -glance at the butchery itself. Here is a woman strangled to death -by manual strength, and thrust up a chimney, head downward. Ordinary -assassins employ no such modes of murder as this. Least of all, do they -thus dispose of the murdered. In the manner of thrusting the corpse -up the chimney, you will admit that there was something _excessively -outré_--something altogether irreconcilable with our common notions of -human action, even when we suppose the actors the most depraved of men. -Think, too, how great must have been that strength which could have -thrust the body _up_ such an aperture so forcibly that the united vigor -of several persons was found barely sufficient to drag it _down!_ - -"Turn, now, to other indications of the employment of a vigor most -marvellous. On the hearth were thick tresses--very thick tresses--of -grey human hair. These had been torn out by the roots. You are aware of -the great force necessary in tearing thus from the head even twenty or -thirty hairs together. You saw the locks in question as well as myself. -Their roots (a hideous sight!) were clotted with fragments of the flesh -of the scalp--sure token of the prodigious power which had been exerted -in uprooting perhaps half a million of hairs at a time. The throat of -the old lady was not merely cut, but the head absolutely severed from -the body: the instrument was a mere razor. I wish you also to look at -the _brutal_ ferocity of these deeds. Of the bruises upon the body -of Madame L'Espanaye I do not speak. Monsieur Dumas, and his worthy -coadjutor Monsieur Etienne, have pronounced that they were inflicted by -some obtuse instrument; and so far these gentlemen are very correct. The -obtuse instrument was clearly the stone pavement in the yard, upon which -the victim had fallen from the window which looked in upon the bed. This -idea, however simple it may now seem, escaped the police for the same -reason that the breadth of the shutters escaped them--because, by the -affair of the nails, their perceptions had been hermetically sealed -against the possibility of the windows having ever been opened at all. - -"If now, in addition to all these things, you have properly reflected -upon the odd disorder of the chamber, we have gone so far as to combine -the ideas of an agility astounding, a strength superhuman, a ferocity -brutal, a butchery without motive, a _grotesquerie_ in horror absolutely -alien from humanity, and a voice foreign in tone to the ears of men -of many nations, and devoid of all distinct or intelligible -syllabification. What result, then, has ensued? What impression have I -made upon your fancy?" - -I felt a creeping of the flesh as Dupin asked me the question. "A -madman," I said, "has done this deed--some raving maniac, escaped from a -neighboring _Maison de Santé._" - -"In some respects," he replied, "your idea is not irrelevant. But the -voices of madmen, even in their wildest paroxysms, are never found to -tally with that peculiar voice heard upon the stairs. Madmen are of some -nation, and their language, however incoherent in its words, has always -the coherence of syllabification. Besides, the hair of a madman is not -such as I now hold in my hand. I disentangled this little tuft from the -rigidly clutched fingers of Madame L'Espanaye. Tell me what you can make -of it." - -"Dupin!" I said, completely unnerved; "this hair is most unusual--this -is no _human_ hair." - -"I have not asserted that it is," said he; "but, before we decide this -point, I wish you to glance at the little sketch I have here traced upon -this paper. It is a _fac-simile_ drawing of what has been described in -one portion of the testimony as 'dark bruises, and deep indentations -of finger nails,' upon the throat of Mademoiselle L'Espanaye, and in -another, (by Messrs. Dumas and Etienne,) as a 'series of livid spots, -evidently the impression of fingers.' - -"You will perceive," continued my friend, spreading out the paper upon -the table before us, "that this drawing gives the idea of a firm -and fixed hold. There is no _slipping_ apparent. Each finger has -retained--possibly until the death of the victim--the fearful grasp by -which it originally imbedded itself. Attempt, now, to place all your -fingers, at the same time, in the respective impressions as you see -them." - -I made the attempt in vain. - -"We are possibly not giving this matter a fair trial," he said. "The -paper is spread out upon a plane surface; but the human throat is -cylindrical. Here is a billet of wood, the circumference of which -is about that of the throat. Wrap the drawing around it, and try the -experiment again." - -I did so; but the difficulty was even more obvious than before. "This," -I said, "is the mark of no human hand." - -"Read now," replied Dupin, "this passage from Cuvier." - -It was a minute anatomical and generally descriptive account of the -large fulvous Ourang-Outang of the East Indian Islands. The gigantic -stature, the prodigious strength and activity, the wild ferocity, and -the imitative propensities of these mammalia are sufficiently well known -to all. I understood the full horrors of the murder at once. - -"The description of the digits," said I, as I made an end of reading, -"is in exact accordance with this drawing. I see that no animal but an -Ourang-Outang, of the species here mentioned, could have impressed the -indentations as you have traced them. This tuft of tawny hair, too, is -identical in character with that of the beast of Cuvier. But I cannot -possibly comprehend the particulars of this frightful mystery. Besides, -there were _two_ voices heard in contention, and one of them was -unquestionably the voice of a Frenchman." - -"True; and you will remember an expression attributed almost -unanimously, by the evidence, to this voice,--the expression, '_mon -Dieu!_' This, under the circumstances, has been justly characterized by -one of the witnesses (Montani, the confectioner,) as an expression of -remonstrance or expostulation. Upon these two words, therefore, I have -mainly built my hopes of a full solution of the riddle. A Frenchman -was cognizant of the murder. It is possible--indeed it is far more -than probable--that he was innocent of all participation in the bloody -transactions which took place. The Ourang-Outang may have escaped from -him. He may have traced it to the chamber; but, under the agitating -circumstances which ensued, he could never have re-captured it. It is -still at large. I will not pursue these guesses--for I have no right to -call them more--since the shades of reflection upon which they are based -are scarcely of sufficient depth to be appreciable by my own intellect, -and since I could not pretend to make them intelligible to the -understanding of another. We will call them guesses then, and speak -of them as such. If the Frenchman in question is indeed, as I suppose, -innocent of this atrocity, this advertisement which I left last night, -upon our return home, at the office of 'Le Monde,' (a paper devoted to -the shipping interest, and much sought by sailors,) will bring him to -our residence." - -He handed me a paper, and I read thus: - -CAUGHT--_In the Bois de Boulogne, early in the morning of the--inst.,_ -(the morning of the murder,) _a very large, tawny Ourang-Outang of -the Bornese species. The owner, (who is ascertained to be a sailor, -belonging to a Maltese vessel,) may have the animal again, upon -identifying it satisfactorily, and paying a few charges arising from -its capture and keeping. Call at No. ----, Rue ----, Faubourg St. -Germain--au troisiême._ - -"How was it possible," I asked, "that you should know the man to be a -sailor, and belonging to a Maltese vessel?" - -"I do _not_ know it," said Dupin. "I am not _sure_ of it. Here, however, -is a small piece of ribbon, which from its form, and from its greasy -appearance, has evidently been used in tying the hair in one of those -long _queues_ of which sailors are so fond. Moreover, this knot is one -which few besides sailors can tie, and is peculiar to the Maltese. I -picked the ribbon up at the foot of the lightning-rod. It could not have -belonged to either of the deceased. Now if, after all, I am wrong in my -induction from this ribbon, that the Frenchman was a sailor belonging to -a Maltese vessel, still I can have done no harm in saying what I did in -the advertisement. If I am in error, he will merely suppose that I have -been misled by some circumstance into which he will not take the trouble -to inquire. But if I am right, a great point is gained. Cognizant -although innocent of the murder, the Frenchman will naturally hesitate -about replying to the advertisement--about demanding the Ourang-Outang. -He will reason thus:--'I am innocent; I am poor; my Ourang-Outang is of -great value--to one in my circumstances a fortune of itself--why should -I lose it through idle apprehensions of danger? Here it is, within my -grasp. It was found in the Bois de Boulogne--at a vast distance from the -scene of that butchery. How can it ever be suspected that a brute beast -should have done the deed? The police are at fault--they have failed to -procure the slightest clew. Should they even trace the animal, it would -be impossible to prove me cognizant of the murder, or to implicate me -in guilt on account of that cognizance. Above all, _I am known._ The -advertiser designates me as the possessor of the beast. I am not sure to -what limit his knowledge may extend. Should I avoid claiming a property -of so great value, which it is known that I possess, I will render the -animal at least, liable to suspicion. It is not my policy to attract -attention either to myself or to the beast. I will answer the -advertisement, get the Ourang-Outang, and keep it close until this -matter has blown over.'" - -At this moment we heard a step upon the stairs. - -"Be ready," said Dupin, "with your pistols, but neither use them nor -show them until at a signal from myself." - -The front door of the house had been left open, and the visiter had -entered, without ringing, and advanced several steps upon the staircase. -Now, however, he seemed to hesitate. Presently we heard him descending. -Dupin was moving quickly to the door, when we again heard him coming up. -He did not turn back a second time, but stepped up with decision, and -rapped at the door of our chamber. - -"Come in," said Dupin, in a cheerful and hearty tone. - -A man entered. He was a sailor, evidently,--a tall, stout, and -muscular-looking person, with a certain dare-devil expression of -countenance, not altogether unprepossessing. His face, greatly sunburnt, -was more than half hidden by whisker and _mustachio._ He had with him -a huge oaken cudgel, but appeared to be otherwise unarmed. He bowed -awkwardly, and bade us "good evening," in French accents, which, -although somewhat Neufchatelish, were still sufficiently indicative of a -Parisian origin. - -"Sit down, my friend," said Dupin. "I suppose you have called about the -Ourang-Outang. Upon my word, I almost envy you the possession of him; -a remarkably fine, and no doubt a very valuable animal. How old do you -suppose him to be?" - -The sailor drew a long breath, with the air of a man relieved of some -intolerable burden, and then replied, in an assured tone: - -"I have no way of telling--but he can't be more than four or five years -old. Have you got him here?" - -"Oh no, we had no conveniences for keeping him here. He is at a livery -stable in the Rue Dubourg, just by. You can get him in the morning. Of -course you are prepared to identify the property?" - -"To be sure I am, sir." - -"I shall be sorry to part with him," said Dupin. - -"I don't mean that you should be at all this trouble for nothing, sir," -said the man. "Couldn't expect it. Am very willing to pay a reward for -the finding of the animal--that is to say, any thing in reason." - -"Well," replied my friend, "that is all very fair, to be sure. Let me -think!--what should I have? Oh! I will tell you. My reward shall be -this. You shall give me all the information in your power about these -murders in the Rue Morgue." - -Dupin said the last words in a very low tone, and very quietly. Just as -quietly, too, he walked toward the door, locked it and put the key in -his pocket. He then drew a pistol from his bosom and placed it, without -the least flurry, upon the table. - -The sailor's face flushed up as if he were struggling with suffocation. -He started to his feet and grasped his cudgel, but the next moment he -fell back into his seat, trembling violently, and with the countenance -of death itself. He spoke not a word. I pitied him from the bottom of my -heart. - -"My friend," said Dupin, in a kind tone, "you are alarming yourself -unnecessarily--you are indeed. We mean you no harm whatever. I pledge -you the honor of a gentleman, and of a Frenchman, that we intend you no -injury. I perfectly well know that you are innocent of the atrocities -in the Rue Morgue. It will not do, however, to deny that you are in some -measure implicated in them. From what I have already said, you must know -that I have had means of information about this matter--means of which -you could never have dreamed. Now the thing stands thus. You have done -nothing which you could have avoided--nothing, certainly, which renders -you culpable. You were not even guilty of robbery, when you might have -robbed with impunity. You have nothing to conceal. You have no reason -for concealment. On the other hand, you are bound by every principle -of honor to confess all you know. An innocent man is now imprisoned, -charged with that crime of which you can point out the perpetrator." - -The sailor had recovered his presence of mind, in a great measure, while -Dupin uttered these words; but his original boldness of bearing was all -gone. - -"So help me God," said he, after a brief pause, "I will tell you all I -know about this affair;--but I do not expect you to believe one half I -say--I would be a fool indeed if I did. Still, I am innocent, and I will -make a clean breast if I die for it." - -What he stated was, in substance, this. He had lately made a voyage -to the Indian Archipelago. A party, of which he formed one, landed -at Borneo, and passed into the interior on an excursion of pleasure. -Himself and a companion had captured the Ourang-Outang. This companion -dying, the animal fell into his own exclusive possession. After great -trouble, occasioned by the intractable ferocity of his captive during -the home voyage, he at length succeeded in lodging it safely at his own -residence in Paris, where, not to attract toward himself the unpleasant -curiosity of his neighbors, he kept it carefully secluded, until such -time as it should recover from a wound in the foot, received from a -splinter on board ship. His ultimate design was to sell it. - -Returning home from some sailors' frolic the night, or rather in the -morning of the murder, he found the beast occupying his own bed-room, -into which it had broken from a closet adjoining, where it had been, as -was thought, securely confined. Razor in hand, and fully lathered, it -was sitting before a looking-glass, attempting the operation of shaving, -in which it had no doubt previously watched its master through the -key-hole of the closet. Terrified at the sight of so dangerous a weapon -in the possession of an animal so ferocious, and so well able to use -it, the man, for some moments, was at a loss what to do. He had been -accustomed, however, to quiet the creature, even in its fiercest moods, -by the use of a whip, and to this he now resorted. Upon sight of it, the -Ourang-Outang sprang at once through the door of the chamber, down -the stairs, and thence, through a window, unfortunately open, into the -street. - -The Frenchman followed in despair; the ape, razor still in hand, -occasionally stopping to look back and gesticulate at its pursuer, until -the latter had nearly come up with it. It then again made off. In this -manner the chase continued for a long time. The streets were profoundly -quiet, as it was nearly three o'clock in the morning. In passing down -an alley in the rear of the Rue Morgue, the fugitive's attention was -arrested by a light gleaming from the open window of Madame L'Espanaye's -chamber, in the fourth story of her house. Rushing to the building, it -perceived the lightning rod, clambered up with inconceivable agility, -grasped the shutter, which was thrown fully back against the wall, and, -by its means, swung itself directly upon the headboard of the bed. The -whole feat did not occupy a minute. The shutter was kicked open again by -the Ourang-Outang as it entered the room. - -The sailor, in the meantime, was both rejoiced and perplexed. He had -strong hopes of now recapturing the brute, as it could scarcely escape -from the trap into which it had ventured, except by the rod, where it -might be intercepted as it came down. On the other hand, there was -much cause for anxiety as to what it might do in the house. This latter -reflection urged the man still to follow the fugitive. A lightning rod -is ascended without difficulty, especially by a sailor; but, when he had -arrived as high as the window, which lay far to his left, his career was -stopped; the most that he could accomplish was to reach over so as to -obtain a glimpse of the interior of the room. At this glimpse he nearly -fell from his hold through excess of horror. Now it was that those -hideous shrieks arose upon the night, which had startled from slumber -the inmates of the Rue Morgue. Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter, -habited in their night clothes, had apparently been occupied in -arranging some papers in the iron chest already mentioned, which had -been wheeled into the middle of the room. It was open, and its contents -lay beside it on the floor. The victims must have been sitting with -their backs toward the window; and, from the time elapsing between the -ingress of the beast and the screams, it seems probable that it was not -immediately perceived. The flapping-to of the shutter would naturally -have been attributed to the wind. - -As the sailor looked in, the gigantic animal had seized Madame -L'Espanaye by the hair, (which was loose, as she had been combing -it,) and was flourishing the razor about her face, in imitation of the -motions of a barber. The daughter lay prostrate and motionless; she had -swooned. The screams and struggles of the old lady (during which the -hair was torn from her head) had the effect of changing the probably -pacific purposes of the Ourang-Outang into those of wrath. With one -determined sweep of its muscular arm it nearly severed her head from her -body. The sight of blood inflamed its anger into phrenzy. Gnashing its -teeth, and flashing fire from its eyes, it flew upon the body of the -girl, and imbedded its fearful talons in her throat, retaining its grasp -until she expired. Its wandering and wild glances fell at this moment -upon the head of the bed, over which the face of its master, rigid with -horror, was just discernible. The fury of the beast, who no doubt bore -still in mind the dreaded whip, was instantly converted into fear. -Conscious of having deserved punishment, it seemed desirous of -concealing its bloody deeds, and skipped about the chamber in an agony -of nervous agitation; throwing down and breaking the furniture as it -moved, and dragging the bed from the bedstead. In conclusion, it seized -first the corpse of the daughter, and thrust it up the chimney, as -it was found; then that of the old lady, which it immediately hurled -through the window headlong. - -As the ape approached the casement with its mutilated burden, the sailor -shrank aghast to the rod, and, rather gliding than clambering down it, -hurried at once home--dreading the consequences of the butchery, and -gladly abandoning, in his terror, all solicitude about the fate of the -Ourang-Outang. The words heard by the party upon the staircase were the -Frenchman's exclamations of horror and affright, commingled with the -fiendish jabberings of the brute. - -I have scarcely anything to add. The Ourang-Outang must have escaped -from the chamber, by the rod, just before the break of the door. It -must have closed the window as it passed through it. It was subsequently -caught by the owner himself, who obtained for it a very large sum at the -_Jardin des Plantes._ Le Don was instantly released, upon our narration -of the circumstances (with some comments from Dupin) at the bureau of -the Prefect of Police. This functionary, however well disposed to my -friend, could not altogether conceal his chagrin at the turn which -affairs had taken, and was fain to indulge in a sarcasm or two, about -the propriety of every person minding his own business. - -"Let him talk," said Dupin, who had not thought it necessary to reply. -"Let him discourse; it will ease his conscience, I am satisfied with -having defeated him in his own castle. Nevertheless, that he failed -in the solution of this mystery, is by no means that matter for wonder -which he supposes it; for, in truth, our friend the Prefect is somewhat -too cunning to be profound. In his wisdom is no _stamen._ It is all head -and no body, like the pictures of the Goddess Laverna,--or, at best, all -head and shoulders, like a codfish. But he is a good creature after all. -I like him especially for one master stroke of cant, by which he has -attained his reputation for ingenuity. I mean the way he has '_de nier -ce qui est, et d'expliquer ce qui n'est pas._'" (*) - -(*) Rousseau--Nouvelle Heloise. - - - - -THE MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGET.(*1) - -A SEQUEL TO "THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE." - - - Es giebt eine Reihe idealischer Begebenheiten, die der Wirklichkeit - parallel lauft. Selten fallen sie zusammen. Menschen und zufalle - modifieiren gewohulich die idealische Begebenheit, so dass sie - unvollkommen erscheint, und ihre Folgen gleichfalls unvollkommen - sind. So bei der Reformation; statt des Protestantismus kam das - Lutherthum hervor. - - There are ideal series of events which run parallel with the real - ones. They rarely coincide. Men and circumstances generally modify - the ideal train of events, so that it seems imperfect, and its - consequences are equally imperfect. Thus with the Reformation; - instead of Protestantism came Lutheranism. - - --Novalis. (*2) Moral Ansichten. - -THERE are few persons, even among the calmest thinkers, who have not -occasionally been startled into a vague yet thrilling half-credence in -the supernatural, by coincidences of so seemingly marvellous a character -that, as mere coincidences, the intellect has been unable to receive -them. Such sentiments--for the half-credences of which I speak have -never the full force of thought--such sentiments are seldom thoroughly -stifled unless by reference to the doctrine of chance, or, as it is -technically termed, the Calculus of Probabilities. Now this Calculus is, -in its essence, purely mathematical; and thus we have the anomaly of the -most rigidly exact in science applied to the shadow and spirituality of -the most intangible in speculation. - -The extraordinary details which I am now called upon to make public, -will be found to form, as regards sequence of time, the primary branch -of a series of scarcely intelligible coincidences, whose secondary or -concluding branch will be recognized by all readers in the late murder -of Mary Cecila Rogers, at New York. - -When, in an article entitled "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," I -endeavored, about a year ago, to depict some very remarkable features -in the mental character of my friend, the Chevalier C. Auguste Dupin, -it did not occur to me that I should ever resume the subject. This -depicting of character constituted my design; and this design was -thoroughly fulfilled in the wild train of circumstances brought to -instance Dupin's idiosyncrasy. I might have adduced other examples, but -I should have proven no more. Late events, however, in their surprising -development, have startled me into some farther details, which will -carry with them the air of extorted confession. Hearing what I have -lately heard, it would be indeed strange should I remain silent in -regard to what I both heard and saw so long ago. - -Upon the winding up of the tragedy involved in the deaths of Madame -L'Espanaye and her daughter, the Chevalier dismissed the affair at once -from his attention, and relapsed into his old habits of moody reverie. -Prone, at all times, to abstraction, I readily fell in with his humor; -and, continuing to occupy our chambers in the Faubourg Saint Germain, we -gave the Future to the winds, and slumbered tranquilly in the Present, -weaving the dull world around us into dreams. - -But these dreams were not altogether uninterrupted. It may readily be -supposed that the part played by my friend, in the drama at the Rue -Morgue, had not failed of its impression upon the fancies of the -Parisian police. With its emissaries, the name of Dupin had grown into a -household word. The simple character of those inductions by which he -had disentangled the mystery never having been explained even to the -Prefect, or to any other individual than myself, of course it is not -surprising that the affair was regarded as little less than miraculous, -or that the Chevalier's analytical abilities acquired for him the -credit of intuition. His frankness would have led him to disabuse every -inquirer of such prejudice; but his indolent humor forbade all farther -agitation of a topic whose interest to himself had long ceased. It thus -happened that he found himself the cynosure of the political eyes; and -the cases were not few in which attempt was made to engage his services -at the Prefecture. One of the most remarkable instances was that of the -murder of a young girl named Marie Rogêt. - -This event occurred about two years after the atrocity in the Rue -Morgue. Marie, whose Christian and family name will at once arrest -attention from their resemblance to those of the unfortunate -"cigargirl," was the only daughter of the widow Estelle Rogêt. The -father had died during the child's infancy, and from the period of his -death, until within eighteen months before the assassination which forms -the subject of our narrative, the mother and daughter had dwelt together -in the Rue Pavée Saint Andrée; (*3) Madame there keeping a pension, -assisted by Marie. Affairs went on thus until the latter had attained -her twenty-second year, when her great beauty attracted the notice of a -perfumer, who occupied one of the shops in the basement of the Palais -Royal, and whose custom lay chiefly among the desperate adventurers -infesting that neighborhood. Monsieur Le Blanc (*4) was not unaware of -the advantages to be derived from the attendance of the fair Marie in -his perfumery; and his liberal proposals were accepted eagerly by the -girl, although with somewhat more of hesitation by Madame. - -The anticipations of the shopkeeper were realized, and his rooms soon -became notorious through the charms of the sprightly grisette. She had -been in his employ about a year, when her admirers were thrown info -confusion by her sudden disappearance from the shop. Monsieur Le Blanc -was unable to account for her absence, and Madame Rogêt was distracted -with anxiety and terror. The public papers immediately took up -the theme, and the police were upon the point of making serious -investigations, when, one fine morning, after the lapse of a week, -Marie, in good health, but with a somewhat saddened air, made her -re-appearance at her usual counter in the perfumery. All inquiry, except -that of a private character, was of course immediately hushed. Monsieur -Le Blanc professed total ignorance, as before. Marie, with Madame, -replied to all questions, that the last week had been spent at the -house of a relation in the country. Thus the affair died away, and was -generally forgotten; for the girl, ostensibly to relieve herself from -the impertinence of curiosity, soon bade a final adieu to the perfumer, -and sought the shelter of her mother's residence in the Rue Pavée Saint -Andrée. - -It was about five months after this return home, that her friends were -alarmed by her sudden disappearance for the second time. Three days -elapsed, and nothing was heard of her. On the fourth her corpse was -found floating in the Seine, * near the shore which is opposite the -Quartier of the Rue Saint Andree, and at a point not very far distant -from the secluded neighborhood of the Barrière du Roule. (*6) - -The atrocity of this murder, (for it was at once evident that murder had -been committed,) the youth and beauty of the victim, and, above all, her -previous notoriety, conspired to produce intense excitement in the minds -of the sensitive Parisians. I can call to mind no similar occurrence -producing so general and so intense an effect. For several weeks, in -the discussion of this one absorbing theme, even the momentous political -topics of the day were forgotten. The Prefect made unusual exertions; -and the powers of the whole Parisian police were, of course, tasked to -the utmost extent. - -Upon the first discovery of the corpse, it was not supposed that the -murderer would be able to elude, for more than a very brief period, -the inquisition which was immediately set on foot. It was not until the -expiration of a week that it was deemed necessary to offer a reward; and -even then this reward was limited to a thousand francs. In the mean time -the investigation proceeded with vigor, if not always with judgment, and -numerous individuals were examined to no purpose; while, owing to the -continual absence of all clue to the mystery, the popular excitement -greatly increased. At the end of the tenth day it was thought advisable -to double the sum originally proposed; and, at length, the second week -having elapsed without leading to any discoveries, and the prejudice -which always exists in Paris against the Police having given vent to -itself in several serious émeutes, the Prefect took it upon himself -to offer the sum of twenty thousand francs "for the conviction of the -assassin," or, if more than one should prove to have been implicated, -"for the conviction of any one of the assassins." In the proclamation -setting forth this reward, a full pardon was promised to any accomplice -who should come forward in evidence against his fellow; and to the whole -was appended, wherever it appeared, the private placard of a committee -of citizens, offering ten thousand francs, in addition to the amount -proposed by the Prefecture. The entire reward thus stood at no less than -thirty thousand francs, which will be regarded as an extraordinary -sum when we consider the humble condition of the girl, and the great -frequency, in large cities, of such atrocities as the one described. - -No one doubted now that the mystery of this murder would be immediately -brought to light. But although, in one or two instances, arrests were -made which promised elucidation, yet nothing was elicited which could -implicate the parties suspected; and they were discharged forthwith. -Strange as it may appear, the third week from the discovery of the body -had passed, and passed without any light being thrown upon the subject, -before even a rumor of the events which had so agitated the public -mind, reached the ears of Dupin and myself. Engaged in researches which -absorbed our whole attention, it had been nearly a month since either of -us had gone abroad, or received a visiter, or more than glanced at -the leading political articles in one of the daily papers. The first -intelligence of the murder was brought us by G ----, in person. He -called upon us early in the afternoon of the thirteenth of July, 18--, -and remained with us until late in the night. He had been piqued by -the failure of all his endeavors to ferret out the assassins. His -reputation--so he said with a peculiarly Parisian air--was at stake. -Even his honor was concerned. The eyes of the public were upon him; and -there was really no sacrifice which he would not be willing to make for -the development of the mystery. He concluded a somewhat droll speech -with a compliment upon what he was pleased to term the tact of Dupin, -and made him a direct, and certainly a liberal proposition, the precise -nature of which I do not feel myself at liberty to disclose, but which -has no bearing upon the proper subject of my narrative. - -The compliment my friend rebutted as best he could, but the proposition -he accepted at once, although its advantages were altogether -provisional. This point being settled, the Prefect broke forth at -once into explanations of his own views, interspersing them with -long comments upon the evidence; of which latter we were not yet in -possession. He discoursed much, and beyond doubt, learnedly; while -I hazarded an occasional suggestion as the night wore drowsily away. -Dupin, sitting steadily in his accustomed arm-chair, was the embodiment -of respectful attention. He wore spectacles, during the whole interview; -and an occasional signal glance beneath their green glasses, sufficed -to convince me that he slept not the less soundly, because silently, -throughout the seven or eight leaden-footed hours which immediately -preceded the departure of the Prefect. - -In the morning, I procured, at the Prefecture, a full report of all -the evidence elicited, and, at the various newspaper offices, a copy -of every paper in which, from first to last, had been published any -decisive information in regard to this sad affair. Freed from all that -was positively disproved, this mass of information stood thus: - -Marie Rogêt left the residence of her mother, in the Rue Pavée -St. Andrée, about nine o'clock in the morning of Sunday June the -twenty-second, 18--. In going out, she gave notice to a Monsieur Jacques -St. Eustache, (*7) and to him only, of her intent intention to spend the -day with an aunt who resided in the Rue des Drômes. The Rue des Drômes -is a short and narrow but populous thoroughfare, not far from the banks -of the river, and at a distance of some two miles, in the most direct -course possible, from the pension of Madame Rogêt. St. Eustache was the -accepted suitor of Marie, and lodged, as well as took his meals, at -the pension. He was to have gone for his betrothed at dusk, and to -have escorted her home. In the afternoon, however, it came on to rain -heavily; and, supposing that she would remain all night at her aunt's, -(as she had done under similar circumstances before,) he did not think -it necessary to keep his promise. As night drew on, Madame Rogêt (who -was an infirm old lady, seventy years of age,) was heard to express -a fear "that she should never see Marie again;" but this observation -attracted little attention at the time. - -On Monday, it was ascertained that the girl had not been to the Rue des -Drômes; and when the day elapsed without tidings of her, a tardy search -was instituted at several points in the city, and its environs. It was -not, however until the fourth day from the period of disappearance that -any thing satisfactory was ascertained respecting her. On this day, -(Wednesday, the twenty-fifth of June,) a Monsieur Beauvais, (*8) who, -with a friend, had been making inquiries for Marie near the Barrière -du Roule, on the shore of the Seine which is opposite the Rue Pavée St. -Andrée, was informed that a corpse had just been towed ashore by some -fishermen, who had found it floating in the river. Upon seeing the -body, Beauvais, after some hesitation, identified it as that of the -perfumery-girl. His friend recognized it more promptly. - -The face was suffused with dark blood, some of which issued from the -mouth. No foam was seen, as in the case of the merely drowned. There was -no discoloration in the cellular tissue. About the throat were bruises -and impressions of fingers. The arms were bent over on the chest and -were rigid. The right hand was clenched; the left partially open. On -the left wrist were two circular excoriations, apparently the effect -of ropes, or of a rope in more than one volution. A part of the right -wrist, also, was much chafed, as well as the back throughout its extent, -but more especially at the shoulder-blades. In bringing the body to -the shore the fishermen had attached to it a rope; but none of the -excoriations had been effected by this. The flesh of the neck was much -swollen. There were no cuts apparent, or bruises which appeared the -effect of blows. A piece of lace was found tied so tightly around the -neck as to be hidden from sight; it was completely buried in the flesh, -and was fasted by a knot which lay just under the left ear. This alone -would have sufficed to produce death. The medical testimony spoke -confidently of the virtuous character of the deceased. She had been -subjected, it said, to brutal violence. The corpse was in such condition -when found, that there could have been no difficulty in its recognition -by friends. - -The dress was much torn and otherwise disordered. In the outer garment, -a slip, about a foot wide, had been torn upward from the bottom hem to -the waist, but not torn off. It was wound three times around the waist, -and secured by a sort of hitch in the back. The dress immediately -beneath the frock was of fine muslin; and from this a slip eighteen -inches wide had been torn entirely out--torn very evenly and with great -care. It was found around her neck, fitting loosely, and secured with a -hard knot. Over this muslin slip and the slip of lace, the strings of a -bonnet were attached; the bonnet being appended. The knot by which the -strings of the bonnet were fastened, was not a lady's, but a slip or -sailor's knot. - -After the recognition of the corpse, it was not, as usual, taken to the -Morgue, (this formality being superfluous,) but hastily interred not far -from the spot at which it was brought ashore. Through the exertions of -Beauvais, the matter was industriously hushed up, as far as possible; -and several days had elapsed before any public emotion resulted. A -weekly paper, (*9) however, at length took up the theme; the corpse was -disinterred, and a re-examination instituted; but nothing was elicited -beyond what has been already noted. The clothes, however, were -now submitted to the mother and friends of the deceased, and fully -identified as those worn by the girl upon leaving home. - -Meantime, the excitement increased hourly. Several individuals were -arrested and discharged. St. Eustache fell especially under suspicion; -and he failed, at first, to give an intelligible account of his -whereabouts during the Sunday on which Marie left home. Subsequently, -however, he submitted to Monsieur G----, affidavits, accounting -satisfactorily for every hour of the day in question. As time passed and -no discovery ensued, a thousand contradictory rumors were circulated, -and journalists busied themselves in suggestions. Among these, the one -which attracted the most notice, was the idea that Marie Rogêt still -lived--that the corpse found in the Seine was that of some other -unfortunate. It will be proper that I submit to the reader some passages -which embody the suggestion alluded to. These passages are literal -translations from L'Etoile, (*10) a paper conducted, in general, with -much ability. - -"Mademoiselle Rogêt left her mother's house on Sunday morning, June the -twenty-second, 18--, with the ostensible purpose of going to see her -aunt, or some other connexion, in the Rue des Drômes. From that hour, -nobody is proved to have seen her. There is no trace or tidings of her -at all.... There has no person, whatever, come forward, so far, who -saw her at all, on that day, after she left her mother's door.... Now, -though we have no evidence that Marie Rogêt was in the land of the -living after nine o'clock on Sunday, June the twenty-second, we have -proof that, up to that hour, she was alive. On Wednesday noon, at -twelve, a female body was discovered afloat on the shore of the Barrière -de Roule. This was, even if we presume that Marie Rogêt was thrown into -the river within three hours after she left her mother's house, only -three days from the time she left her home--three days to an hour. But -it is folly to suppose that the murder, if murder was committed on -her body, could have been consummated soon enough to have enabled her -murderers to throw the body into the river before midnight. Those who -are guilty of such horrid crimes, choose darkness rather the light.... -Thus we see that if the body found in the river was that of Marie Rogêt, -it could only have been in the water two and a half days, or three at -the outside. All experience has shown that drowned bodies, or bodies -thrown into the water immediately after death by violence, require from -six to ten days for decomposition to take place to bring them to the top -of the water. Even where a cannon is fired over a corpse, and it rises -before at least five or six days' immersion, it sinks again, if let -alone. Now, we ask, what was there in this case to cause a departure -from the ordinary course of nature?... If the body had been kept in its -mangled state on shore until Tuesday night, some trace would be found on -shore of the murderers. It is a doubtful point, also, whether the body -would be so soon afloat, even were it thrown in after having been -dead two days. And, furthermore, it is exceedingly improbable that any -villains who had committed such a murder as is here supposed, would -have thrown the body in without weight to sink it, when such a precaution -could have so easily been taken." - -The editor here proceeds to argue that the body must have been in the -water "not three days merely, but, at least, five times three days," -because it was so far decomposed that Beauvais had great difficulty -in recognizing it. This latter point, however, was fully disproved. I -continue the translation: - -"What, then, are the facts on which M. Beauvais says that he has no -doubt the body was that of Marie Rogêt? He ripped up the gown sleeve, -and says he found marks which satisfied him of the identity. The public -generally supposed those marks to have consisted of some description -of scars. He rubbed the arm and found hair upon it--something as -indefinite, we think, as can readily be imagined--as little conclusive -as finding an arm in the sleeve. M. Beauvais did not return that night, -but sent word to Madame Rogêt, at seven o'clock, on Wednesday evening, -that an investigation was still in progress respecting her daughter. If -we allow that Madame Rogêt, from her age and grief, could not go over, -(which is allowing a great deal,) there certainly must have been some -one who would have thought it worth while to go over and attend the -investigation, if they thought the body was that of Marie. Nobody went -over. There was nothing said or heard about the matter in the Rue Pavée -St. Andrée, that reached even the occupants of the same building. M. St. -Eustache, the lover and intended husband of Marie, who boarded in her -mother's house, deposes that he did not hear of the discovery of the -body of his intended until the next morning, when M. Beauvais came -into his chamber and told him of it. For an item of news like this, it -strikes us it was very coolly received." - -In this way the journal endeavored to create the impression of an apathy -on the part of the relatives of Marie, inconsistent with the supposition -that these relatives believed the corpse to be hers. Its insinuations -amount to this:--that Marie, with the connivance of her friends, had -absented herself from the city for reasons involving a charge against -her chastity; and that these friends, upon the discovery of a corpse in -the Seine, somewhat resembling that of the girl, had availed themselves -of the opportunity to impress the public with the belief of her -death. But L'Etoile was again over-hasty. It was distinctly proved -that no apathy, such as was imagined, existed; that the old lady was -exceedingly feeble, and so agitated as to be unable to attend to any -duty, that St. Eustache, so far from receiving the news coolly, was -distracted with grief, and bore himself so frantically, that M. Beauvais -prevailed upon a friend and relative to take charge of him, and prevent -his attending the examination at the disinterment. Moreover, although -it was stated by L'Etoile, that the corpse was re-interred at the public -expense--that an advantageous offer of private sculpture was absolutely -declined by the family--and that no member of the family attended the -ceremonial:--although, I say, all this was asserted by L'Etoile in -furtherance of the impression it designed to convey--yet all this -was satisfactorily disproved. In a subsequent number of the paper, an -attempt was made to throw suspicion upon Beauvais himself. The editor -says: - -"Now, then, a change comes over the matter. We are told that on one -occasion, while a Madame B---- was at Madame Rogêt's house, M. Beauvais, -who was going out, told her that a gendarme was expected there, and she, -Madame B., must not say anything to the gendarme until he returned, -but let the matter be for him.... In the present posture of affairs, -M. Beauvais appears to have the whole matter locked up in his head. A -single step cannot be taken without M. Beauvais; for, go which way you -will, you run against him.... For some reason, he determined that nobody -shall have any thing to do with the proceedings but himself, and he -has elbowed the male relatives out of the way, according to their -representations, in a very singular manner. He seems to have been very -much averse to permitting the relatives to see the body." - -By the following fact, some color was given to the suspicion thus thrown -upon Beauvais. A visiter at his office, a few days prior to the girl's -disappearance, and during the absence of its occupant, had observed a -rose in the key-hole of the door, and the name "Marie" inscribed upon a -slate which hung near at hand. - -The general impression, so far as we were enabled to glean it from the -newspapers, seemed to be, that Marie had been the victim of a gang -of desperadoes--that by these she had been borne across the river, -maltreated and murdered. Le Commerciel, (*11) however, a print of -extensive influence, was earnest in combating this popular idea. I quote -a passage or two from its columns: - -"We are persuaded that pursuit has hitherto been on a false scent, so -far as it has been directed to the Barrière du Roule. It is impossible -that a person so well known to thousands as this young woman was, should -have passed three blocks without some one having seen her; and any one -who saw her would have remembered it, for she interested all who knew -her. It was when the streets were full of people, when she went out.... -It is impossible that she could have gone to the Barrière du Roule, or -to the Rue des Drômes, without being recognized by a dozen persons; yet -no one has come forward who saw her outside of her mother's door, and -there is no evidence, except the testimony concerning her expressed -intentions, that she did go out at all. Her gown was torn, bound round -her, and tied; and by that the body was carried as a bundle. If the -murder had been committed at the Barrière du Roule, there would have -been no necessity for any such arrangement. The fact that the body was -found floating near the Barrière, is no proof as to where it was thrown -into the water..... A piece of one of the unfortunate girl's petticoats, -two feet long and one foot wide, was torn out and tied under her chin -around the back of her head, probably to prevent screams. This was done -by fellows who had no pocket-handkerchief." - -A day or two before the Prefect called upon us, however, some important -information reached the police, which seemed to overthrow, at least, -the chief portion of Le Commerciel's argument. Two small boys, sons of a -Madame Deluc, while roaming among the woods near the Barrière du Roule, -chanced to penetrate a close thicket, within which were three or four -large stones, forming a kind of seat, with a back and footstool. On -the upper stone lay a white petticoat; on the second a silk scarf. A -parasol, gloves, and a pocket-handkerchief were also here found. The -handkerchief bore the name "Marie Rogêt." Fragments of dress were -discovered on the brambles around. The earth was trampled, the bushes -were broken, and there was every evidence of a struggle. Between the -thicket and the river, the fences were found taken down, and the ground -bore evidence of some heavy burthen having been dragged along it. - -A weekly paper, Le Soleil,(*12) had the following comments upon this -discovery--comments which merely echoed the sentiment of the whole -Parisian press: - -"The things had all evidently been there at least three or four weeks; -they were all mildewed down hard with the action of the rain and stuck -together from mildew. The grass had grown around and over some of them. -The silk on the parasol was strong, but the threads of it were run -together within. The upper part, where it had been doubled and folded, -was all mildewed and rotten, and tore on its being opened..... The -pieces of her frock torn out by the bushes were about three inches wide -and six inches long. One part was the hem of the frock, and it had been -mended; the other piece was part of the skirt, not the hem. They looked -like strips torn off, and were on the thorn bush, about a foot from -the ground..... There can be no doubt, therefore, that the spot of this -appalling outrage has been discovered." - -Consequent upon this discovery, new evidence appeared. Madame Deluc -testified that she keeps a roadside inn not far from the bank of the -river, opposite the Barrière du Roule. The neighborhood is -secluded--particularly so. It is the usual Sunday resort of blackguards -from the city, who cross the river in boats. About three o'clock, in the -afternoon of the Sunday in question, a young girl arrived at the inn, -accompanied by a young man of dark complexion. The two remained here for -some time. On their departure, they took the road to some thick woods in -the vicinity. Madame Deluc's attention was called to the dress worn by -the girl, on account of its resemblance to one worn by a deceased -relative. A scarf was particularly noticed. Soon after the departure of -the couple, a gang of miscreants made their appearance, behaved -boisterously, ate and drank without making payment, followed in the -route of the young man and girl, returned to the inn about dusk, and -re-crossed the river as if in great haste. - -It was soon after dark, upon this same evening, that Madame Deluc, as -well as her eldest son, heard the screams of a female in the vicinity -of the inn. The screams were violent but brief. Madame D. recognized not -only the scarf which was found in the thicket, but the dress which was -discovered upon the corpse. An omnibus driver, Valence, (*13) now also -testified that he saw Marie Rogêt cross a ferry on the Seine, on the -Sunday in question, in company with a young man of dark complexion. -He, Valence, knew Marie, and could not be mistaken in her identity. The -articles found in the thicket were fully identified by the relatives of -Marie. - -The items of evidence and information thus collected by myself, from -the newspapers, at the suggestion of Dupin, embraced only one more -point--but this was a point of seemingly vast consequence. It appears -that, immediately after the discovery of the clothes as above described, -the lifeless, or nearly lifeless body of St. Eustache, Marie's -betrothed, was found in the vicinity of what all now supposed the scene -of the outrage. A phial labelled "laudanum," and emptied, was found near -him. His breath gave evidence of the poison. He died without speaking. -Upon his person was found a letter, briefly stating his love for Marie, -with his design of self-destruction. - -"I need scarcely tell you," said Dupin, as he finished the perusal of -my notes, "that this is a far more intricate case than that of the -Rue Morgue; from which it differs in one important respect. This is -an ordinary, although an atrocious instance of crime. There is nothing -peculiarly outré about it. You will observe that, for this reason, the -mystery has been considered easy, when, for this reason, it should have -been considered difficult, of solution. Thus; at first, it was thought -unnecessary to offer a reward. The myrmidons of G---- were able at once -to comprehend how and why such an atrocity might have been committed. -They could picture to their imaginations a mode--many modes--and a -motive--many motives; and because it was not impossible that either of -these numerous modes and motives could have been the actual one, they -have taken it for granted that one of them must. But the case with which -these variable fancies were entertained, and the very plausibility which -each assumed, should have been understood as indicative rather of the -difficulties than of the facilities which must attend elucidation. I -have before observed that it is by prominences above the plane of the -ordinary, that reason feels her way, if at all, in her search for the -true, and that the proper question in cases such as this, is not so -much 'what has occurred?' as 'what has occurred that has never occurred -before?' In the investigations at the house of Madame L'Espanaye, -(*14) the agents of G---- were discouraged and confounded by that -very unusualness which, to a properly regulated intellect, would have -afforded the surest omen of success; while this same intellect might -have been plunged in despair at the ordinary character of all that met -the eye in the case of the perfumery-girl, and yet told of nothing but -easy triumph to the functionaries of the Prefecture. - -"In the case of Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter there was, even -at the beginning of our investigation, no doubt that murder had been -committed. The idea of suicide was excluded at once. Here, too, we are -freed, at the commencement, from all supposition of self-murder. The -body found at the Barrière du Roule, was found under such circumstances -as to leave us no room for embarrassment upon this important point. But -it has been suggested that the corpse discovered, is not that of the -Marie Rogêt for the conviction of whose assassin, or assassins, the -reward is offered, and respecting whom, solely, our agreement has been -arranged with the Prefect. We both know this gentleman well. It will not -do to trust him too far. If, dating our inquiries from the body found, -and thence tracing a murderer, we yet discover this body to be that of -some other individual than Marie; or, if starting from the living Marie, -we find her, yet find her unassassinated--in either case we lose our -labor; since it is Monsieur G---- with whom we have to deal. For our -own purpose, therefore, if not for the purpose of justice, it is -indispensable that our first step should be the determination of the -identity of the corpse with the Marie Rogêt who is missing. - -"With the public the arguments of L'Etoile have had weight; and that the -journal itself is convinced of their importance would appear from -the manner in which it commences one of its essays upon the -subject--'Several of the morning papers of the day,' it says, 'speak of -the _conclusive_ article in Monday's Etoile.' To me, this article -appears conclusive of little beyond the zeal of its inditer. We should -bear in mind that, in general, it is the object of our newspapers rather -to create a sensation--to make a point--than to further the cause of -truth. The latter end is only pursued when it seems coincident with the -former. The print which merely falls in with ordinary opinion (however -well founded this opinion may be) earns for itself no credit with the -mob. The mass of the people regard as profound only him who suggests -_pungent contradictions_ of the general idea. In ratiocination, not less -than in literature, it is the epigram which is the most immediately and -the most universally appreciated. In both, it is of the lowest order of -merit. - -"What I mean to say is, that it is the mingled epigram and melodrame -of the idea, that Marie Rogêt still lives, rather than any true -plausibility in this idea, which have suggested it to L'Etoile, and -secured it a favorable reception with the public. Let us examine the -heads of this journal's argument; endeavoring to avoid the incoherence -with which it is originally set forth. - -"The first aim of the writer is to show, from the brevity of the -interval between Marie's disappearance and the finding of the floating -corpse, that this corpse cannot be that of Marie. The reduction of this -interval to its smallest possible dimension, becomes thus, at once, an -object with the reasoner. In the rash pursuit of this object, he rushes -into mere assumption at the outset. 'It is folly to suppose,' he says, -'that the murder, if murder was committed on her body, could have been -consummated soon enough to have enabled her murderers to throw the body -into the river before midnight.' We demand at once, and very naturally, -why? Why is it folly to suppose that the murder was committed _within -five minutes_ after the girl's quitting her mother's house? Why is it -folly to suppose that the murder was committed at any given period -of the day? There have been assassinations at all hours. But, had the -murder taken place at any moment between nine o'clock in the morning of -Sunday, and a quarter before midnight, there would still have been -time enough 'to throw the body into the river before midnight.' This -assumption, then, amounts precisely to this--that the murder was not -committed on Sunday at all--and, if we allow L'Etoile to assume this, -we may permit it any liberties whatever. The paragraph beginning 'It is -folly to suppose that the murder, etc.,' however it appears as printed -in L'Etoile, may be imagined to have existed actually thus in the brain -of its inditer--'It is folly to suppose that the murder, if murder was -committed on the body, could have been committed soon enough to have -enabled her murderers to throw the body into the river before midnight; -it is folly, we say, to suppose all this, and to suppose at the same -time, (as we are resolved to suppose,) that the body was not thrown -in until after midnight'--a sentence sufficiently inconsequential in -itself, but not so utterly preposterous as the one printed. - -"Were it my purpose," continued Dupin, "merely to _make out a case_ -against this passage of L'Etoile's argument, I might safely leave it -where it is. It is not, however, with L'Etoile that we have to do, but -with the truth. The sentence in question has but one meaning, as it -stands; and this meaning I have fairly stated: but it is material -that we go behind the mere words, for an idea which these words have -obviously intended, and failed to convey. It was the design of the -journalist to say that, at whatever period of the day or night of Sunday -this murder was committed, it was improbable that the assassins would -have ventured to bear the corpse to the river before midnight. And -herein lies, really, the assumption of which I complain. It is assumed -that the murder was committed at such a position, and under such -circumstances, that the bearing it to the river became necessary. Now, -the assassination might have taken place upon the river's brink, or on -the river itself; and, thus, the throwing the corpse in the water might -have been resorted to, at any period of the day or night, as the most -obvious and most immediate mode of disposal. You will understand that I -suggest nothing here as probable, or as cöincident with my own opinion. -My design, so far, has no reference to the facts of the case. I wish -merely to caution you against the whole tone of L'Etoile's suggestion, -by calling your attention to its ex parte character at the outset. - -"Having prescribed thus a limit to suit its own preconceived notions; -having assumed that, if this were the body of Marie, it could have been -in the water but a very brief time; the journal goes on to say: - -'All experience has shown that drowned bodies, or bodies thrown into the -water immediately after death by violence, require from six to ten days -for sufficient decomposition to take place to bring them to the top -of the water. Even when a cannon is fired over a corpse, and it rises -before at least five or six days' immersion, it sinks again if let -alone.' - -"These assertions have been tacitly received by every paper in Paris, -with the exception of Le Moniteur. (*15) This latter print endeavors -to combat that portion of the paragraph which has reference to 'drowned -bodies' only, by citing some five or six instances in which the bodies -of individuals known to be drowned were found floating after the lapse -of less time than is insisted upon by L'Etoile. But there is something -excessively unphilosophical in the attempt on the part of Le Moniteur, -to rebut the general assertion of L'Etoile, by a citation of particular -instances militating against that assertion. Had it been possible to -adduce fifty instead of five examples of bodies found floating at the -end of two or three days, these fifty examples could still have been -properly regarded only as exceptions to L'Etoile's rule, until such time -as the rule itself should be confuted. Admitting the rule, (and this -Le Moniteur does not deny, insisting merely upon its exceptions,) the -argument of L'Etoile is suffered to remain in full force; for this -argument does not pretend to involve more than a question of the -probability of the body having risen to the surface in less than three -days; and this probability will be in favor of L'Etoile's position until -the instances so childishly adduced shall be sufficient in number to -establish an antagonistical rule. - -"You will see at once that all argument upon this head should be urged, -if at all, against the rule itself; and for this end we must examine the -rationale of the rule. Now the human body, in general, is neither much -lighter nor much heavier than the water of the Seine; that is to say, -the specific gravity of the human body, in its natural condition, is -about equal to the bulk of fresh water which it displaces. The bodies -of fat and fleshy persons, with small bones, and of women generally, -are lighter than those of the lean and large-boned, and of men; and the -specific gravity of the water of a river is somewhat influenced by the -presence of the tide from sea. But, leaving this tide out of question, -it may be said that very few human bodies will sink at all, even in -fresh water, of their own accord. Almost any one, falling into a river, -will be enabled to float, if he suffer the specific gravity of the water -fairly to be adduced in comparison with his own--that is to say, if -he suffer his whole person to be immersed, with as little exception as -possible. The proper position for one who cannot swim, is the upright -position of the walker on land, with the head thrown fully back, and -immersed; the mouth and nostrils alone remaining above the surface. -Thus circumstanced, we shall find that we float without difficulty and -without exertion. It is evident, however, that the gravities of the -body, and of the bulk of water displaced, are very nicely balanced, and -that a trifle will cause either to preponderate. An arm, for instance, -uplifted from the water, and thus deprived of its support, is an -additional weight sufficient to immerse the whole head, while the -accidental aid of the smallest piece of timber will enable us to elevate -the head so as to look about. Now, in the struggles of one unused to -swimming, the arms are invariably thrown upwards, while an attempt is -made to keep the head in its usual perpendicular position. The result -is the immersion of the mouth and nostrils, and the inception, during -efforts to breathe while beneath the surface, of water into the lungs. -Much is also received into the stomach, and the whole body becomes -heavier by the difference between the weight of the air originally -distending these cavities, and that of the fluid which now fills them. -This difference is sufficient to cause the body to sink, as a general -rule; but is insufficient in the cases of individuals with small bones -and an abnormal quantity of flaccid or fatty matter. Such individuals -float even after drowning. - -"The corpse, being supposed at the bottom of the river, will there -remain until, by some means, its specific gravity again becomes less -than that of the bulk of water which it displaces. This effect -is brought about by decomposition, or otherwise. The result of -decomposition is the generation of gas, distending the cellular tissues -and all the cavities, and giving the puffed appearance which is so -horrible. When this distension has so far progressed that the bulk of -the corpse is materially increased without a corresponding increase of -mass or weight, its specific gravity becomes less than that of the water -displaced, and it forthwith makes its appearance at the surface. But -decomposition is modified by innumerable circumstances--is hastened or -retarded by innumerable agencies; for example, by the heat or cold of -the season, by the mineral impregnation or purity of the water, by its -depth or shallowness, by its currency or stagnation, by the temperament -of the body, by its infection or freedom from disease before death. -Thus it is evident that we can assign no period, with any thing like -accuracy, at which the corpse shall rise through decomposition. Under -certain conditions this result would be brought about within an hour; -under others, it might not take place at all. There are chemical -infusions by which the animal frame can be preserved forever from -corruption; the Bi-chloride of Mercury is one. But, apart from -decomposition, there may be, and very usually is, a generation of gas -within the stomach, from the acetous fermentation of vegetable matter -(or within other cavities from other causes) sufficient to induce a -distension which will bring the body to the surface. The effect produced -by the firing of a cannon is that of simple vibration. This may either -loosen the corpse from the soft mud or ooze in which it is imbedded, -thus permitting it to rise when other agencies have already prepared -it for so doing; or it may overcome the tenacity of some putrescent -portions of the cellular tissue; allowing the cavities to distend under -the influence of the gas. - -"Having thus before us the whole philosophy of this subject, we can -easily test by it the assertions of L'Etoile. 'All experience shows,' -says this paper, 'that drowned bodies, or bodies thrown into the water -immediately after death by violence, require from six to ten days for -sufficient decomposition to take place to bring them to the top of the -water. Even when a cannon is fired over a corpse, and it rises before at -least five or six days' immersion, it sinks again if let alone.' - -"The whole of this paragraph must now appear a tissue of inconsequence -and incoherence. All experience does not show that 'drowned bodies' -require from six to ten days for sufficient decomposition to take place -to bring them to the surface. Both science and experience show that the -period of their rising is, and necessarily must be, indeterminate. If, -moreover, a body has risen to the surface through firing of cannon, -it will not 'sink again if let alone,' until decomposition has so far -progressed as to permit the escape of the generated gas. But I wish to -call your attention to the distinction which is made between 'drowned -bodies,' and 'bodies thrown into the water immediately after death by -violence.' Although the writer admits the distinction, he yet includes -them all in the same category. I have shown how it is that the body of -a drowning man becomes specifically heavier than its bulk of water, -and that he would not sink at all, except for the struggles by which -he elevates his arms above the surface, and his gasps for breath while -beneath the surface--gasps which supply by water the place of the -original air in the lungs. But these struggles and these gasps would -not occur in the body 'thrown into the water immediately after death by -violence.' Thus, in the latter instance, the body, as a general rule, -would not sink at all--a fact of which L'Etoile is evidently ignorant. -When decomposition had proceeded to a very great extent--when the flesh -had in a great measure left the bones--then, indeed, but not till then, -should we lose sight of the corpse. - -"And now what are we to make of the argument, that the body found could -not be that of Marie Rogêt, because, three days only having elapsed, -this body was found floating? If drowned, being a woman, she might never -have sunk; or having sunk, might have reappeared in twenty-four hours, -or less. But no one supposes her to have been drowned; and, dying before -being thrown into the river, she might have been found floating at any -period afterwards whatever. - -"'But,' says L'Etoile, 'if the body had been kept in its mangled state -on shore until Tuesday night, some trace would be found on shore of the -murderers.' Here it is at first difficult to perceive the intention -of the reasoner. He means to anticipate what he imagines would be an -objection to his theory--viz: that the body was kept on shore two days, -suffering rapid decomposition--more rapid than if immersed in water. He -supposes that, had this been the case, it might have appeared at the -surface on the Wednesday, and thinks that only under such circumstances -it could so have appeared. He is accordingly in haste to show that it -was not kept on shore; for, if so, 'some trace would be found on shore -of the murderers.' I presume you smile at the sequitur. You cannot -be made to see how the mere duration of the corpse on the shore could -operate to multiply traces of the assassins. Nor can I. - -"'And furthermore it is exceedingly improbable,' continues our journal, -'that any villains who had committed such a murder as is here supposed, -would have thrown the body in without weight to sink it, when such -a precaution could have so easily been taken.' Observe, here, the -laughable confusion of thought! No one--not even L'Etoile--disputes -the murder committed _on the body found_. The marks of violence are too -obvious. It is our reasoner's object merely to show that this body is -not Marie's. He wishes to prove that Marie is not assassinated--not that -the corpse was not. Yet his observation proves only the latter point. -Here is a corpse without weight attached. Murderers, casting it in, -would not have failed to attach a weight. Therefore it was not thrown in -by murderers. This is all which is proved, if any thing is. The question -of identity is not even approached, and L'Etoile has been at great pains -merely to gainsay now what it has admitted only a moment before. 'We -are perfectly convinced,' it says, 'that the body found was that of a -murdered female.' - -"Nor is this the sole instance, even in this division of his subject, -where our reasoner unwittingly reasons against himself. His evident -object, I have already said, is to reduce, as much as possible, the -interval between Marie's disappearance and the finding of the corpse. -Yet we find him urging the point that no person saw the girl from the -moment of her leaving her mother's house. 'We have no evidence,' he -says, 'that Marie Rogêt was in the land of the living after nine o'clock -on Sunday, June the twenty-second.' As his argument is obviously an ex -parte one, he should, at least, have left this matter out of sight; for -had any one been known to see Marie, say on Monday, or on Tuesday, -the interval in question would have been much reduced, and, by his own -ratiocination, the probability much diminished of the corpse being that -of the grisette. It is, nevertheless, amusing to observe that L'Etoile -insists upon its point in the full belief of its furthering its general -argument. - -"Reperuse now that portion of this argument which has reference to the -identification of the corpse by Beauvais. In regard to the hair upon the -arm, L'Etoile has been obviously disingenuous. M. Beauvais, not being an -idiot, could never have urged, in identification of the corpse, simply -hair upon its arm. No arm is without hair. The generality of the -expression of L'Etoile is a mere perversion of the witness' phraseology. -He must have spoken of some peculiarity in this hair. It must have been -a peculiarity of color, of quantity, of length, or of situation. - -"'Her foot,' says the journal, 'was small--so are thousands of feet. Her -garter is no proof whatever--nor is her shoe--for shoes and garters are -sold in packages. The same may be said of the flowers in her hat. One -thing upon which M. Beauvais strongly insists is, that the clasp on the -garter found, had been set back to take it in. This amounts to nothing; -for most women find it proper to take a pair of garters home and fit -them to the size of the limbs they are to encircle, rather than to try -them in the store where they purchase.' Here it is difficult to suppose -the reasoner in earnest. Had M. Beauvais, in his search for the body of -Marie, discovered a corpse corresponding in general size and appearance -to the missing girl, he would have been warranted (without reference to -the question of habiliment at all) in forming an opinion that his search -had been successful. If, in addition to the point of general size and -contour, he had found upon the arm a peculiar hairy appearance which he -had observed upon the living Marie, his opinion might have been justly -strengthened; and the increase of positiveness might well have been in -the ratio of the peculiarity, or unusualness, of the hairy mark. If, -the feet of Marie being small, those of the corpse were also small, the -increase of probability that the body was that of Marie would not be an -increase in a ratio merely arithmetical, but in one highly geometrical, -or accumulative. Add to all this shoes such as she had been known to -wear upon the day of her disappearance, and, although these shoes may be -'sold in packages,' you so far augment the probability as to verge upon -the certain. What, of itself, would be no evidence of identity, becomes -through its corroborative position, proof most sure. Give us, then, -flowers in the hat corresponding to those worn by the missing girl, and -we seek for nothing farther. If only one flower, we seek for nothing -farther--what then if two or three, or more? Each successive one -is multiple evidence--proof not _added_ to proof, but multiplied by -hundreds or thousands. Let us now discover, upon the deceased, garters -such as the living used, and it is almost folly to proceed. But these -garters are found to be tightened, by the setting back of a clasp, -in just such a manner as her own had been tightened by Marie, shortly -previous to her leaving home. It is now madness or hypocrisy to doubt. -What L'Etoile says in respect to this abbreviation of the garter's being -an usual occurrence, shows nothing beyond its own pertinacity in error. -The elastic nature of the clasp-garter is self-demonstration of the -unusualness of the abbreviation. What is made to adjust itself, must of -necessity require foreign adjustment but rarely. It must have been by an -accident, in its strictest sense, that these garters of Marie needed -the tightening described. They alone would have amply established her -identity. But it is not that the corpse was found to have the garters -of the missing girl, or found to have her shoes, or her bonnet, or the -flowers of her bonnet, or her feet, or a peculiar mark upon the arm, -or her general size and appearance--it is that the corpse had each, -and _all collectively_. Could it be proved that the editor of L'Etoile -_really_ entertained a doubt, under the circumstances, there would be -no need, in his case, of a commission de lunatico inquirendo. He has -thought it sagacious to echo the small talk of the lawyers, who, for the -most part, content themselves with echoing the rectangular precepts of -the courts. I would here observe that very much of what is rejected as -evidence by a court, is the best of evidence to the intellect. For -the court, guiding itself by the general principles of evidence--the -recognized and _booked_ principles--is averse from swerving at -particular instances. And this steadfast adherence to principle, with -rigorous disregard of the conflicting exception, is a sure mode of -attaining the maximum of attainable truth, in any long sequence of time. -The practice, in mass, is therefore philosophical; but it is not the -less certain that it engenders vast individual error. (*16) - -"In respect to the insinuations levelled at Beauvais, you will be -willing to dismiss them in a breath. You have already fathomed the -true character of this good gentleman. He is a busy-body, with much -of romance and little of wit. Any one so constituted will readily so -conduct himself, upon occasion of real excitement, as to render himself -liable to suspicion on the part of the over acute, or the ill-disposed. -M. Beauvais (as it appears from your notes) had some personal interviews -with the editor of L'Etoile, and offended him by venturing an opinion -that the corpse, notwithstanding the theory of the editor, was, in sober -fact, that of Marie. 'He persists,' says the paper, 'in asserting the -corpse to be that of Marie, but cannot give a circumstance, in addition -to those which we have commented upon, to make others believe.' Now, -without re-adverting to the fact that stronger evidence 'to make others -believe,' could never have been adduced, it may be remarked that a man -may very well be understood to believe, in a case of this kind, without -the ability to advance a single reason for the belief of a second party. -Nothing is more vague than impressions of individual identity. Each man -recognizes his neighbor, yet there are few instances in which any one -is prepared to give a reason for his recognition. The editor of L'Etoile -had no right to be offended at M. Beauvais' unreasoning belief. - -"The suspicious circumstances which invest him, will be found to tally -much better with my hypothesis of romantic busy-bodyism, than with -the reasoner's suggestion of guilt. Once adopting the more charitable -interpretation, we shall find no difficulty in comprehending the rose -in the key-hole; the 'Marie' upon the slate; the 'elbowing the male -relatives out of the way;' the 'aversion to permitting them to see -the body;' the caution given to Madame B----, that she must hold no -conversation with the gendarme until his return (Beauvais'); and, -lastly, his apparent determination 'that nobody should have anything to -do with the proceedings except himself.' It seems to me unquestionable -that Beauvais was a suitor of Marie's; that she coquetted with him; and -that he was ambitious of being thought to enjoy her fullest intimacy -and confidence. I shall say nothing more upon this point; and, as the -evidence fully rebuts the assertion of L'Etoile, touching the matter -of apathy on the part of the mother and other relatives--an apathy -inconsistent with the supposition of their believing the corpse to be -that of the perfumery-girl--we shall now proceed as if the question of -identity were settled to our perfect satisfaction." - -"And what," I here demanded, "do you think of the opinions of Le -Commerciel?" - -"That, in spirit, they are far more worthy of attention than any which -have been promulgated upon the subject. The deductions from the premises -are philosophical and acute; but the premises, in two instances, at -least, are founded in imperfect observation. Le Commerciel wishes to -intimate that Marie was seized by some gang of low ruffians not far from -her mother's door. 'It is impossible,' it urges, 'that a person so well -known to thousands as this young woman was, should have passed three -blocks without some one having seen her.' This is the idea of a man long -resident in Paris--a public man--and one whose walks to and fro in the -city, have been mostly limited to the vicinity of the public offices. -He is aware that he seldom passes so far as a dozen blocks from his own -bureau, without being recognized and accosted. And, knowing the extent -of his personal acquaintance with others, and of others with him, he -compares his notoriety with that of the perfumery-girl, finds no great -difference between them, and reaches at once the conclusion that she, in -her walks, would be equally liable to recognition with himself in -his. This could only be the case were her walks of the same unvarying, -methodical character, and within the same species of limited region -as are his own. He passes to and fro, at regular intervals, within a -confined periphery, abounding in individuals who are led to observation -of his person through interest in the kindred nature of his occupation -with their own. But the walks of Marie may, in general, be supposed -discursive. In this particular instance, it will be understood as most -probable, that she proceeded upon a route of more than average diversity -from her accustomed ones. The parallel which we imagine to have existed -in the mind of Le Commerciel would only be sustained in the event of the -two individuals' traversing the whole city. In this case, granting the -personal acquaintances to be equal, the chances would be also equal that -an equal number of personal rencounters would be made. For my own -part, I should hold it not only as possible, but as very far more than -probable, that Marie might have proceeded, at any given period, by any -one of the many routes between her own residence and that of her aunt, -without meeting a single individual whom she knew, or by whom she was -known. In viewing this question in its full and proper light, we must -hold steadily in mind the great disproportion between the personal -acquaintances of even the most noted individual in Paris, and the entire -population of Paris itself. - -"But whatever force there may still appear to be in the suggestion of Le -Commerciel, will be much diminished when we take into consideration the -hour at which the girl went abroad. 'It was when the streets were full -of people,' says Le Commerciel, 'that she went out.' But not so. It was -at nine o'clock in the morning. Now at nine o'clock of every morning in -the week, _with the exception of Sunday_, the streets of the city are, -it is true, thronged with people. At nine on Sunday, the populace are -chiefly within doors _preparing for church_. No observing person can -have failed to notice the peculiarly deserted air of the town, from -about eight until ten on the morning of every Sabbath. Between ten and -eleven the streets are thronged, but not at so early a period as that -designated. - -"There is another point at which there seems a deficiency of observation -on the part of Le Commerciel. 'A piece,' it says, 'of one of the -unfortunate girl's petticoats, two feet long, and one foot wide, was -torn out and tied under her chin, and around the back of her head, -probably to prevent screams. This was done, by fellows who had no -pocket-handkerchiefs.' Whether this idea is, or is not well founded, -we will endeavor to see hereafter; but by 'fellows who have no -pocket-handkerchiefs' the editor intends the lowest class of ruffians. -These, however, are the very description of people who will always be -found to have handkerchiefs even when destitute of shirts. You must have -had occasion to observe how absolutely indispensable, of late years, to -the thorough blackguard, has become the pocket-handkerchief." - -"And what are we to think," I asked, "of the article in Le Soleil?" - -"That it is a vast pity its inditer was not born a parrot--in which -case he would have been the most illustrious parrot of his race. He has -merely repeated the individual items of the already published opinion; -collecting them, with a laudable industry, from this paper and from -that. 'The things had all evidently been there,' he says,'at least, -three or four weeks, and there can be _no doubt_ that the spot of this -appalling outrage has been discovered.' The facts here re-stated by -Le Soleil, are very far indeed from removing my own doubts upon this -subject, and we will examine them more particularly hereafter in -connexion with another division of the theme. - -"At present we must occupy ourselves with other investigations. You -cannot fail to have remarked the extreme laxity of the examination of -the corpse. To be sure, the question of identity was readily determined, -or should have been; but there were other points to be ascertained. Had -the body been in any respect despoiled? Had the deceased any articles -of jewelry about her person upon leaving home? if so, had she any when -found? These are important questions utterly untouched by the evidence; -and there are others of equal moment, which have met with no attention. -We must endeavor to satisfy ourselves by personal inquiry. The case of -St. Eustache must be re-examined. I have no suspicion of this person; -but let us proceed methodically. We will ascertain beyond a doubt the -validity of the affidavits in regard to his whereabouts on the Sunday. -Affidavits of this character are readily made matter of mystification. -Should there be nothing wrong here, however, we will dismiss St. -Eustache from our investigations. His suicide, however corroborative of -suspicion, were there found to be deceit in the affidavits, is, without -such deceit, in no respect an unaccountable circumstance, or one which -need cause us to deflect from the line of ordinary analysis. - -"In that which I now propose, we will discard the interior points of -this tragedy, and concentrate our attention upon its outskirts. Not the -least usual error, in investigations such as this, is the limiting of -inquiry to the immediate, with total disregard of the collateral or -circumstantial events. It is the mal-practice of the courts to confine -evidence and discussion to the bounds of apparent relevancy. Yet -experience has shown, and a true philosophy will always show, that a -vast, perhaps the larger portion of truth, arises from the seemingly -irrelevant. It is through the spirit of this principle, if not precisely -through its letter, that modern science has resolved to calculate upon -the unforeseen. But perhaps you do not comprehend me. The history of -human knowledge has so uninterruptedly shown that to collateral, or -incidental, or accidental events we are indebted for the most numerous -and most valuable discoveries, that it has at length become necessary, -in any prospective view of improvement, to make not only large, but the -largest allowances for inventions that shall arise by chance, and quite -out of the range of ordinary expectation. It is no longer philosophical -to base, upon what has been, a vision of what is to be. Accident is -admitted as a portion of the substructure. We make chance a matter of -absolute calculation. We subject the unlooked for and unimagined, to the -mathematical _formulae_ of the schools. - -"I repeat that it is no more than fact, that the larger portion of all -truth has sprung from the collateral; and it is but in accordance with -the spirit of the principle involved in this fact, that I would divert -inquiry, in the present case, from the trodden and hitherto unfruitful -ground of the event itself, to the contemporary circumstances which -surround it. While you ascertain the validity of the affidavits, I will -examine the newspapers more generally than you have as yet done. So far, -we have only reconnoitred the field of investigation; but it will be -strange indeed if a comprehensive survey, such as I propose, of the -public prints, will not afford us some minute points which shall -establish a direction for inquiry." - -In pursuance of Dupin's suggestion, I made scrupulous examination of -the affair of the affidavits. The result was a firm conviction of their -validity, and of the consequent innocence of St. Eustache. In the mean -time my friend occupied himself, with what seemed to me a minuteness -altogether objectless, in a scrutiny of the various newspaper files. At -the end of a week he placed before me the following extracts: - -"About three years and a half ago, a disturbance very similar to the -present, was caused by the disappearance of this same Marie Rogêt, from -the parfumerie of Monsieur Le Blanc, in the Palais Royal. At the end of -a week, however, she re-appeared at her customary comptoir, as well as -ever, with the exception of a slight paleness not altogether usual. It -was given out by Monsieur Le Blanc and her mother, that she had merely -been on a visit to some friend in the country; and the affair was -speedily hushed up. We presume that the present absence is a freak of -the same nature, and that, at the expiration of a week, or perhaps of -a month, we shall have her among us again."--Evening Paper--Monday June -23. (*17) - -"An evening journal of yesterday, refers to a former mysterious -disappearance of Mademoiselle Rogêt. It is well known that, during the -week of her absence from Le Blanc's parfumerie, she was in the company -of a young naval officer, much noted for his debaucheries. A quarrel, it -is supposed, providentially led to her return home. We have the name of -the Lothario in question, who is, at present, stationed in Paris, but, -for obvious reasons, forbear to make it public."--Le Mercurie--Tuesday -Morning, June 24. (*18) - -"An outrage of the most atrocious character was perpetrated near this -city the day before yesterday. A gentleman, with his wife and daughter, -engaged, about dusk, the services of six young men, who were idly rowing -a boat to and fro near the banks of the Seine, to convey him across the -river. Upon reaching the opposite shore, the three passengers stepped -out, and had proceeded so far as to be beyond the view of the boat, -when the daughter discovered that she had left in it her parasol. She -returned for it, was seized by the gang, carried out into the stream, -gagged, brutally treated, and finally taken to the shore at a point -not far from that at which she had originally entered the boat with her -parents. The villains have escaped for the time, but the police are upon -their trail, and some of them will soon be taken."--Morning Paper--June -25. (*19) - -"We have received one or two communications, the object of which is to -fasten the crime of the late atrocity upon Mennais; (*20) but as this -gentleman has been fully exonerated by a loyal inquiry, and as the -arguments of our several correspondents appear to be more zealous than -profound, we do not think it advisable to make them public."--Morning -Paper--June 28. (*21) - -"We have received several forcibly written communications, apparently -from various sources, and which go far to render it a matter of -certainty that the unfortunate Marie Rogêt has become a victim of one of -the numerous bands of blackguards which infest the vicinity of the city -upon Sunday. Our own opinion is decidedly in favor of this -supposition. We shall endeavor to make room for some of these arguments -hereafter."--Evening Paper--Tuesday, June 31. (*22) - -"On Monday, one of the bargemen connected with the revenue service, saw -a empty boat floating down the Seine. Sails were lying in the bottom of -the boat. The bargeman towed it under the barge office. The next morning -it was taken from thence, without the knowledge of any of the officers. -The rudder is now at the barge office."--Le Diligence--Thursday, June -26. - -Upon reading these various extracts, they not only seemed to me -irrelevant, but I could perceive no mode in which any one of them -could be brought to bear upon the matter in hand. I waited for some -explanation from Dupin. - -"It is not my present design," he said, "to dwell upon the first and -second of those extracts. I have copied them chiefly to show you the -extreme remissness of the police, who, as far as I can understand from -the Prefect, have not troubled themselves, in any respect, with an -examination of the naval officer alluded to. Yet it is mere folly to say -that between the first and second disappearance of Marie, there is -no _supposable_ connection. Let us admit the first elopement to have -resulted in a quarrel between the lovers, and the return home of the -betrayed. We are now prepared to view a second elopement (if we know -that an elopement has again taken place) as indicating a renewal of the -betrayer's advances, rather than as the result of new proposals by a -second individual--we are prepared to regard it as a 'making up' of the -old amour, rather than as the commencement of a new one. The chances are -ten to one, that he who had once eloped with Marie, would again propose -an elopement, rather than that she to whom proposals of elopement had -been made by one individual, should have them made to her by another. -And here let me call your attention to the fact, that the time elapsing -between the first ascertained, and the second supposed elopement, is -a few months more than the general period of the cruises of our -men-of-war. Had the lover been interrupted in his first villany by the -necessity of departure to sea, and had he seized the first moment of his -return to renew the base designs not yet altogether accomplished--or -not yet altogether accomplished by _him?_ Of all these things we know -nothing. - -"You will say, however, that, in the second instance, there was no -elopement as imagined. Certainly not--but are we prepared to say that -there was not the frustrated design? Beyond St. Eustache, and perhaps -Beauvais, we find no recognized, no open, no honorable suitors of Marie. -Of none other is there any thing said. Who, then, is the secret lover, -of whom the relatives (at least most of them) know nothing, but whom -Marie meets upon the morning of Sunday, and who is so deeply in her -confidence, that she hesitates not to remain with him until the shades -of the evening descend, amid the solitary groves of the Barrière du -Roule? Who is that secret lover, I ask, of whom, at least, most of the -relatives know nothing? And what means the singular prophecy of Madame -Rogêt on the morning of Marie's departure?--'I fear that I shall never -see Marie again.' - -"But if we cannot imagine Madame Rogêt privy to the design of elopement, -may we not at least suppose this design entertained by the girl? Upon -quitting home, she gave it to be understood that she was about to visit -her aunt in the Rue des Drômes and St. Eustache was requested to call -for her at dark. Now, at first glance, this fact strongly militates -against my suggestion;--but let us reflect. That she did meet some -companion, and proceed with him across the river, reaching the Barrière -du Roule at so late an hour as three o'clock in the afternoon, is -known. But in consenting so to accompany this individual, (_for whatever -purpose--to her mother known or unknown,_) she must have thought of her -expressed intention when leaving home, and of the surprise and suspicion -aroused in the bosom of her affianced suitor, St. Eustache, when, -calling for her, at the hour appointed, in the Rue des Drômes, he should -find that she had not been there, and when, moreover, upon returning to -the pension with this alarming intelligence, he should become aware of -her continued absence from home. She must have thought of these things, -I say. She must have foreseen the chagrin of St. Eustache, the suspicion -of all. She could not have thought of returning to brave this suspicion; -but the suspicion becomes a point of trivial importance to her, if we -suppose her not intending to return. - -"We may imagine her thinking thus--'I am to meet a certain person for -the purpose of elopement, or for certain other purposes known only to -myself. It is necessary that there be no chance of interruption--there -must be sufficient time given us to elude pursuit--I will give it to be -understood that I shall visit and spend the day with my aunt at the Rue -des Drômes--I well tell St. Eustache not to call for me until dark--in -this way, my absence from home for the longest possible period, without -causing suspicion or anxiety, will be accounted for, and I shall gain -more time than in any other manner. If I bid St. Eustache call for me -at dark, he will be sure not to call before; but, if I wholly neglect -to bid him call, my time for escape will be diminished, since it will -be expected that I return the earlier, and my absence will the sooner -excite anxiety. Now, if it were my design to return at all--if I had in -contemplation merely a stroll with the individual in question--it would -not be my policy to bid St. Eustache call; for, calling, he will be sure -to ascertain that I have played him false--a fact of which I might keep -him for ever in ignorance, by leaving home without notifying him of my -intention, by returning before dark, and by then stating that I had been -to visit my aunt in the Rue des Drômes. But, as it is my design never -to return--or not for some weeks--or not until certain concealments are -effected--the gaining of time is the only point about which I need give -myself any concern.' - -"You have observed, in your notes, that the most general opinion in -relation to this sad affair is, and was from the first, that the girl -had been the victim of a gang of blackguards. Now, the popular opinion, -under certain conditions, is not to be disregarded. When arising of -itself--when manifesting itself in a strictly spontaneous manner--we -should look upon it as analogous with that _intuition_ which is the -idiosyncrasy of the individual man of genius. In ninety-nine cases from -the hundred I would abide by its decision. But it is important that we -find no palpable traces of _suggestion_. The opinion must be rigorously -_the public's own_; and the distinction is often exceedingly difficult -to perceive and to maintain. In the present instance, it appears to me -that this 'public opinion' in respect to a gang, has been superinduced -by the collateral event which is detailed in the third of my extracts. -All Paris is excited by the discovered corpse of Marie, a girl young, -beautiful and notorious. This corpse is found, bearing marks of -violence, and floating in the river. But it is now made known that, at -the very period, or about the very period, in which it is supposed that -the girl was assassinated, an outrage similar in nature to that endured -by the deceased, although less in extent, was perpetuated, by a gang -of young ruffians, upon the person of a second young female. Is it -wonderful that the one known atrocity should influence the popular -judgment in regard to the other unknown? This judgment awaited -direction, and the known outrage seemed so opportunely to afford it! -Marie, too, was found in the river; and upon this very river was this -known outrage committed. The connexion of the two events had about it so -much of the palpable, that the true wonder would have been a failure -of the populace to appreciate and to seize it. But, in fact, the one -atrocity, known to be so committed, is, if any thing, evidence that the -other, committed at a time nearly coincident, was not so committed. -It would have been a miracle indeed, if, while a gang of ruffians were -perpetrating, at a given locality, a most unheard-of wrong, there should -have been another similar gang, in a similar locality, in the same -city, under the same circumstances, with the same means and appliances, -engaged in a wrong of precisely the same aspect, at precisely the -same period of time! Yet in what, if not in this marvellous train of -coincidence, does the accidentally suggested opinion of the populace -call upon us to believe? - -"Before proceeding farther, let us consider the supposed scene of the -assassination, in the thicket at the Barrière du Roule. This thicket, -although dense, was in the close vicinity of a public road. Within -were three or four large stones, forming a kind of seat with a back and -footstool. On the upper stone was discovered a white petticoat; on the -second, a silk scarf. A parasol, gloves, and a pocket-handkerchief, -were also here found. The handkerchief bore the name, 'Marie Rogêt.' -Fragments of dress were seen on the branches around. The earth was -trampled, the bushes were broken, and there was every evidence of a -violent struggle. - -"Notwithstanding the acclamation with which the discovery of this -thicket was received by the press, and the unanimity with which it -was supposed to indicate the precise scene of the outrage, it must be -admitted that there was some very good reason for doubt. That it was the -scene, I may or I may not believe--but there was excellent reason for -doubt. Had the true scene been, as Le Commerciel suggested, in the -neighborhood of the Rue Pavée St. Andrée, the perpetrators of the -crime, supposing them still resident in Paris, would naturally have been -stricken with terror at the public attention thus acutely directed into -the proper channel; and, in certain classes of minds, there would have -arisen, at once, a sense of the necessity of some exertion to redivert -this attention. And thus, the thicket of the Barrière du Roule having -been already suspected, the idea of placing the articles where they were -found, might have been naturally entertained. There is no real evidence, -although Le Soleil so supposes, that the articles discovered had -been more than a very few days in the thicket; while there is much -circumstantial proof that they could not have remained there, without -attracting attention, during the twenty days elapsing between the fatal -Sunday and the afternoon upon which they were found by the boys. 'They -were all _mildewed_ down hard,' says Le Soleil, adopting the opinions of -its predecessors, 'with the action of the rain, and stuck together from -_mildew_. The grass had grown around and over some of them. The silk of -the parasol was strong, but the threads of it were run together within. -The upper part, where it had been doubled and folded, was all _mildewed_ -and rotten, and tore on being opened.' In respect to the grass having -'grown around and over some of them,' it is obvious that the fact -could only have been ascertained from the words, and thus from the -recollections, of two small boys; for these boys removed the articles -and took them home before they had been seen by a third party. But grass -will grow, especially in warm and damp weather, (such as was that of the -period of the murder,) as much as two or three inches in a single day. -A parasol lying upon a newly turfed ground, might, in a single week, -be entirely concealed from sight by the upspringing grass. And touching -that mildew upon which the editor of Le Soleil so pertinaciously -insists, that he employs the word no less than three times in the -brief paragraph just quoted, is he really unaware of the nature of this -mildew? Is he to be told that it is one of the many classes of fungus, -of which the most ordinary feature is its upspringing and decadence -within twenty-four hours? - -"Thus we see, at a glance, that what has been most triumphantly adduced -in support of the idea that the articles had been 'for at least three -or four weeks' in the thicket, is most absurdly null as regards any -evidence of that fact. On the other hand, it is exceedingly difficult -to believe that these articles could have remained in the thicket -specified, for a longer period than a single week--for a longer period -than from one Sunday to the next. Those who know any thing of the -vicinity of Paris, know the extreme difficulty of finding seclusion -unless at a great distance from its suburbs. Such a thing as an -unexplored, or even an unfrequently visited recess, amid its woods or -groves, is not for a moment to be imagined. Let any one who, being at -heart a lover of nature, is yet chained by duty to the dust and heat -of this great metropolis--let any such one attempt, even during the -weekdays, to slake his thirst for solitude amid the scenes of natural -loveliness which immediately surround us. At every second step, he will -find the growing charm dispelled by the voice and personal intrusion -of some ruffian or party of carousing blackguards. He will seek privacy -amid the densest foliage, all in vain. Here are the very nooks where the -unwashed most abound--here are the temples most desecrate. With sickness -of the heart the wanderer will flee back to the polluted Paris as to -a less odious because less incongruous sink of pollution. But if the -vicinity of the city is so beset during the working days of the week, -how much more so on the Sabbath! It is now especially that, released -from the claims of labor, or deprived of the customary opportunities of -crime, the town blackguard seeks the precincts of the town, not through -love of the rural, which in his heart he despises, but by way of escape -from the restraints and conventionalities of society. He desires -less the fresh air and the green trees, than the utter license of the -country. Here, at the road-side inn, or beneath the foliage of the -woods, he indulges, unchecked by any eye except those of his boon -companions, in all the mad excess of a counterfeit hilarity--the joint -offspring of liberty and of rum. I say nothing more than what must -be obvious to every dispassionate observer, when I repeat that the -circumstance of the articles in question having remained undiscovered, -for a longer period--than from one Sunday to another, in any thicket in -the immediate neighborhood of Paris, is to be looked upon as little less -than miraculous. - -"But there are not wanting other grounds for the suspicion that the -articles were placed in the thicket with the view of diverting attention -from the real scene of the outrage. And, first, let me direct your -notice to the date of the discovery of the articles. Collate this with -the date of the fifth extract made by myself from the newspapers. You -will find that the discovery followed, almost immediately, the urgent -communications sent to the evening paper. These communications, although -various and apparently from various sources, tended all to the same -point--viz., the directing of attention to a gang as the perpetrators -of the outrage, and to the neighborhood of the Barrière du Roule as its -scene. Now here, of course, the suspicion is not that, in consequence of -these communications, or of the public attention by them directed, the -articles were found by the boys; but the suspicion might and may well -have been, that the articles were not before found by the boys, for the -reason that the articles had not before been in the thicket; having -been deposited there only at so late a period as at the date, or shortly -prior to the date of the communications by the guilty authors of these -communications themselves. - -"This thicket was a singular--an exceedingly singular one. It was -unusually dense. Within its naturally walled enclosure were three -extraordinary stones, forming a seat with a back and footstool. And this -thicket, so full of a natural art, was in the immediate vicinity, within -a few rods, of the dwelling of Madame Deluc, whose boys were in the -habit of closely examining the shrubberies about them in search of -the bark of the sassafras. Would it be a rash wager--a wager of one -thousand to one--that a day never passed over the heads of these boys -without finding at least one of them ensconced in the umbrageous hall, -and enthroned upon its natural throne? Those who would hesitate at such -a wager, have either never been boys themselves, or have forgotten the -boyish nature. I repeat--it is exceedingly hard to comprehend how the -articles could have remained in this thicket undiscovered, for a longer -period than one or two days; and that thus there is good ground for -suspicion, in spite of the dogmatic ignorance of Le Soleil, that they -were, at a comparatively late date, deposited where found. - -"But there are still other and stronger reasons for believing them so -deposited, than any which I have as yet urged. And, now, let me beg -your notice to the highly artificial arrangement of the articles. On the -upper stone lay a white petticoat; on the second a silk scarf; scattered -around, were a parasol, gloves, and a pocket-handkerchief bearing the -name, 'Marie Rogêt.' Here is just such an arrangement as would naturally -be made by a not over-acute person wishing to dispose the articles -naturally. But it is by no means a really natural arrangement. I -should rather have looked to see the things all lying on the ground and -trampled under foot. In the narrow limits of that bower, it would have -been scarcely possible that the petticoat and scarf should have retained -a position upon the stones, when subjected to the brushing to and fro -of many struggling persons. 'There was evidence,' it is said, 'of a -struggle; and the earth was trampled, the bushes were broken,'--but the -petticoat and the scarf are found deposited as if upon shelves. 'The -pieces of the frock torn out by the bushes were about three inches wide -and six inches long. One part was the hem of the frock and it had been -mended. They looked like strips torn off.' Here, inadvertently, Le -Soleil has employed an exceedingly suspicious phrase. The pieces, as -described, do indeed 'look like strips torn off;' but purposely and by -hand. It is one of the rarest of accidents that a piece is 'torn off,' -from any garment such as is now in question, by the agency of a thorn. -From the very nature of such fabrics, a thorn or nail becoming entangled -in them, tears them rectangularly--divides them into two longitudinal -rents, at right angles with each other, and meeting at an apex where the -thorn enters--but it is scarcely possible to conceive the piece 'torn -off.' I never so knew it, nor did you. To tear a piece off from such -fabric, two distinct forces, in different directions, will be, in almost -every case, required. If there be two edges to the fabric--if, for -example, it be a pocket-handkerchief, and it is desired to tear from it -a slip, then, and then only, will the one force serve the purpose. But -in the present case the question is of a dress, presenting but one edge. -To tear a piece from the interior, where no edge is presented, could -only be effected by a miracle through the agency of thorns, and no one -thorn could accomplish it. But, even where an edge is presented, two -thorns will be necessary, operating, the one in two distinct directions, -and the other in one. And this in the supposition that the edge is -unhemmed. If hemmed, the matter is nearly out of the question. We thus -see the numerous and great obstacles in the way of pieces being 'torn -off' through the simple agency of 'thorns;' yet we are required to -believe not only that one piece but that many have been so torn. 'And -one part,' too, 'was the hem of the frock!' Another piece was 'part -of the skirt, not the hem,'--that is to say, was torn completely out -through the agency of thorns, from the uncaged interior of the -dress! These, I say, are things which one may well be pardoned for -disbelieving; yet, taken collectedly, they form, perhaps, less of -reasonable ground for suspicion, than the one startling circumstance of -the articles' having been left in this thicket at all, by any murderers -who had enough precaution to think of removing the corpse. You will not -have apprehended me rightly, however, if you suppose it my design to -deny this thicket as the scene of the outrage. There might have been a -wrong here, or, more possibly, an accident at Madame Deluc's. But, in -fact, this is a point of minor importance. We are not engaged in an -attempt to discover the scene, but to produce the perpetrators of the -murder. What I have adduced, notwithstanding the minuteness with which I -have adduced it, has been with the view, first, to show the folly of the -positive and headlong assertions of Le Soleil, but secondly and chiefly, -to bring you, by the most natural route, to a further contemplation of -the doubt whether this assassination has, or has not been, the work of a -gang. - -"We will resume this question by mere allusion to the revolting details -of the surgeon examined at the inquest. It is only necessary to say that -his published inferences, in regard to the number of ruffians, have been -properly ridiculed as unjust and totally baseless, by all the reputable -anatomists of Paris. Not that the matter might not have been as -inferred, but that there was no ground for the inference:--was there not -much for another? - -"Let us reflect now upon 'the traces of a struggle;' and let me ask what -these traces have been supposed to demonstrate. A gang. But do they not -rather demonstrate the absence of a gang? What struggle could have taken -place--what struggle so violent and so enduring as to have left its -'traces' in all directions--between a weak and defenceless girl and the -gang of ruffians imagined? The silent grasp of a few rough arms and all -would have been over. The victim must have been absolutely passive at -their will. You will here bear in mind that the arguments urged against -the thicket as the scene, are applicable in chief part, only against it -as the scene of an outrage committed by more than a single individual. -If we imagine but one violator, we can conceive, and thus only conceive, -the struggle of so violent and so obstinate a nature as to have left the -'traces' apparent. - -"And again. I have already mentioned the suspicion to be excited by the -fact that the articles in question were suffered to remain at all in -the thicket where discovered. It seems almost impossible that these -evidences of guilt should have been accidentally left where found. There -was sufficient presence of mind (it is supposed) to remove the corpse; -and yet a more positive evidence than the corpse itself (whose features -might have been quickly obliterated by decay,) is allowed to lie -conspicuously in the scene of the outrage--I allude to the handkerchief -with the name of the deceased. If this was accident, it was not -the accident of a gang. We can imagine it only the accident of an -individual. Let us see. An individual has committed the murder. He -is alone with the ghost of the departed. He is appalled by what lies -motionless before him. The fury of his passion is over, and there is -abundant room in his heart for the natural awe of the deed. His is none -of that confidence which the presence of numbers inevitably inspires. -He is alone with the dead. He trembles and is bewildered. Yet there is -a necessity for disposing of the corpse. He bears it to the river, but -leaves behind him the other evidences of guilt; for it is difficult, if -not impossible to carry all the burthen at once, and it will be easy to -return for what is left. But in his toilsome journey to the water his -fears redouble within him. The sounds of life encompass his path. A -dozen times he hears or fancies the step of an observer. Even the very -lights from the city bewilder him. Yet, in time and by long and frequent -pauses of deep agony, he reaches the river's brink, and disposes of -his ghastly charge--perhaps through the medium of a boat. But now what -treasure does the world hold--what threat of vengeance could it hold -out--which would have power to urge the return of that lonely murderer -over that toilsome and perilous path, to the thicket and its blood -chilling recollections? He returns not, let the consequences be what -they may. He could not return if he would. His sole thought is immediate -escape. He turns his back forever upon those dreadful shrubberies and -flees as from the wrath to come. - -"But how with a gang? Their number would have inspired them with -confidence; if, indeed confidence is ever wanting in the breast of the -arrant blackguard; and of arrant blackguards alone are the supposed -gangs ever constituted. Their number, I say, would have prevented the -bewildering and unreasoning terror which I have imagined to paralyze the -single man. Could we suppose an oversight in one, or two, or three, this -oversight would have been remedied by a fourth. They would have left -nothing behind them; for their number would have enabled them to carry -all at once. There would have been no need of return. - -"Consider now the circumstance that in the outer garment of the corpse -when found, 'a slip, about a foot wide had been torn upward from the -bottom hem to the waist wound three times round the waist, and secured -by a sort of hitch in the back.' This was done with the obvious design -of affording a handle by which to carry the body. But would any number -of men have dreamed of resorting to such an expedient? To three or four, -the limbs of the corpse would have afforded not only a sufficient, but -the best possible hold. The device is that of a single individual; and -this brings us to the fact that 'between the thicket and the river, the -rails of the fences were found taken down, and the ground bore evident -traces of some heavy burden having been dragged along it!' But would a -number of men have put themselves to the superfluous trouble of taking -down a fence, for the purpose of dragging through it a corpse which they -might have lifted over any fence in an instant? Would a number of men -have so dragged a corpse at all as to have left evident traces of the -dragging? - -"And here we must refer to an observation of Le Commerciel; an -observation upon which I have already, in some measure, commented. 'A -piece,' says this journal, 'of one of the unfortunate girl's petticoats -was torn out and tied under her chin, and around the back of her -head, probably to prevent screams. This was done by fellows who had no -pocket-handkerchiefs.' - -"I have before suggested that a genuine blackguard is never without a -pocket-handkerchief. But it is not to this fact that I now especially -advert. That it was not through want of a handkerchief for the purpose -imagined by Le Commerciel, that this bandage was employed, is rendered -apparent by the handkerchief left in the thicket; and that the object -was not 'to prevent screams' appears, also, from the bandage having been -employed in preference to what would so much better have answered -the purpose. But the language of the evidence speaks of the strip in -question as 'found around the neck, fitting loosely, and secured with -a hard knot.' These words are sufficiently vague, but differ materially -from those of Le Commerciel. The slip was eighteen inches wide, and -therefore, although of muslin, would form a strong band when folded or -rumpled longitudinally. And thus rumpled it was discovered. My inference -is this. The solitary murderer, having borne the corpse, for some -distance, (whether from the thicket or elsewhere) by means of the -bandage hitched around its middle, found the weight, in this mode -of procedure, too much for his strength. He resolved to drag the -burthen--the evidence goes to show that it was dragged. With this object -in view, it became necessary to attach something like a rope to one of -the extremities. It could be best attached about the neck, where the -head would prevent its slipping off. And, now, the murderer bethought -him, unquestionably, of the bandage about the loins. He would have used -this, but for its volution about the corpse, the hitch which embarrassed -it, and the reflection that it had not been 'torn off' from the garment. -It was easier to tear a new slip from the petticoat. He tore it, made -it fast about the neck, and so dragged his victim to the brink of the -river. That this 'bandage,' only attainable with trouble and delay, and -but imperfectly answering its purpose--that this bandage was employed -at all, demonstrates that the necessity for its employment sprang from -circumstances arising at a period when the handkerchief was no longer -attainable--that is to say, arising, as we have imagined, after quitting -the thicket, (if the thicket it was), and on the road between the -thicket and the river. - -"But the evidence, you will say, of Madame Deluc, (!) points especially -to the presence of a gang, in the vicinity of the thicket, at or about -the epoch of the murder. This I grant. I doubt if there were not a dozen -gangs, such as described by Madame Deluc, in and about the vicinity of -the Barrière du Roule at or about the period of this tragedy. But the -gang which has drawn upon itself the pointed animadversion, although the -somewhat tardy and very suspicious evidence of Madame Deluc, is the -only gang which is represented by that honest and scrupulous old lady -as having eaten her cakes and swallowed her brandy, without putting -themselves to the trouble of making her payment. Et hinc illæ iræ? - -"But what is the precise evidence of Madame Deluc? 'A gang of miscreants -made their appearance, behaved boisterously, ate and drank without -making payment, followed in the route of the young man and girl, -returned to the inn about dusk, and recrossed the river as if in great -haste.' - -"Now this 'great haste' very possibly seemed greater haste in the eyes -of Madame Deluc, since she dwelt lingeringly and lamentingly upon her -violated cakes and ale--cakes and ale for which she might still have -entertained a faint hope of compensation. Why, otherwise, since it was -about dusk, should she make a point of the haste? It is no cause for -wonder, surely, that even a gang of blackguards should make haste to -get home, when a wide river is to be crossed in small boats, when storm -impends, and when night approaches. - -"I say approaches; for the night had not yet arrived. It was only about -dusk that the indecent haste of these 'miscreants' offended the sober -eyes of Madame Deluc. But we are told that it was upon this very evening -that Madame Deluc, as well as her eldest son, 'heard the screams of a -female in the vicinity of the inn.' And in what words does Madame Deluc -designate the period of the evening at which these screams were heard? -'It was soon after dark,' she says. But 'soon after dark,' is, at least, -dark; and 'about dusk' is as certainly daylight. Thus it is abundantly -clear that the gang quitted the Barrière du Roule prior to the screams -overheard (?) by Madame Deluc. And although, in all the many reports of -the evidence, the relative expressions in question are distinctly and -invariably employed just as I have employed them in this conversation -with yourself, no notice whatever of the gross discrepancy has, as yet, -been taken by any of the public journals, or by any of the Myrmidons of -police. - -"I shall add but one to the arguments against a gang; but this one has, -to my own understanding at least, a weight altogether irresistible. -Under the circumstances of large reward offered, and full pardon to -any King's evidence, it is not to be imagined, for a moment, that some -member of a gang of low ruffians, or of any body of men, would not long -ago have betrayed his accomplices. Each one of a gang so placed, is not -so much greedy of reward, or anxious for escape, as fearful of betrayal. -He betrays eagerly and early that he may not himself be betrayed. That -the secret has not been divulged, is the very best of proof that it is, -in fact, a secret. The horrors of this dark deed are known only to one, -or two, living human beings, and to God. - -"Let us sum up now the meagre yet certain fruits of our long analysis. -We have attained the idea either of a fatal accident under the roof of -Madame Deluc, or of a murder perpetrated, in the thicket at the Barrière -du Roule, by a lover, or at least by an intimate and secret associate of -the deceased. This associate is of swarthy complexion. This complexion, -the 'hitch' in the bandage, and the 'sailor's knot,' with which the -bonnet-ribbon is tied, point to a seaman. His companionship with the -deceased, a gay, but not an abject young girl, designates him as -above the grade of the common sailor. Here the well written and urgent -communications to the journals are much in the way of corroboration. The -circumstance of the first elopement, as mentioned by Le Mercurie, tends -to blend the idea of this seaman with that of the 'naval officer' who is -first known to have led the unfortunate into crime. - -"And here, most fitly, comes the consideration of the continued -absence of him of the dark complexion. Let me pause to observe that the -complexion of this man is dark and swarthy; it was no common swarthiness -which constituted the sole point of remembrance, both as regards Valence -and Madame Deluc. But why is this man absent? Was he murdered by the -gang? If so, why are there only traces of the assassinated girl? The -scene of the two outrages will naturally be supposed identical. And -where is his corpse? The assassins would most probably have disposed -of both in the same way. But it may be said that this man lives, and is -deterred from making himself known, through dread of being charged with -the murder. This consideration might be supposed to operate upon him -now--at this late period--since it has been given in evidence that he -was seen with Marie--but it would have had no force at the period of the -deed. The first impulse of an innocent man would have been to announce -the outrage, and to aid in identifying the ruffians. This policy would -have suggested. He had been seen with the girl. He had crossed the river -with her in an open ferry-boat. The denouncing of the assassins would -have appeared, even to an idiot, the surest and sole means of relieving -himself from suspicion. We cannot suppose him, on the night of the fatal -Sunday, both innocent himself and incognizant of an outrage committed. -Yet only under such circumstances is it possible to imagine that he -would have failed, if alive, in the denouncement of the assassins. - -"And what means are ours, of attaining the truth? We shall find these -means multiplying and gathering distinctness as we proceed. Let us sift -to the bottom this affair of the first elopement. Let us know the -full history of 'the officer,' with his present circumstances, and -his whereabouts at the precise period of the murder. Let us carefully -compare with each other the various communications sent to the evening -paper, in which the object was to inculpate a gang. This done, let us -compare these communications, both as regards style and MS., with -those sent to the morning paper, at a previous period, and insisting so -vehemently upon the guilt of Mennais. And, all this done, let us again -compare these various communications with the known MSS. of the officer. -Let us endeavor to ascertain, by repeated questionings of Madame Deluc -and her boys, as well as of the omnibus driver, Valence, something more -of the personal appearance and bearing of the 'man of dark complexion.' -Queries, skilfully directed, will not fail to elicit, from some of -these parties, information on this particular point (or upon -others)--information which the parties themselves may not even be aware -of possessing. And let us now trace the boat picked up by the bargeman -on the morning of Monday the twenty-third of June, and which was -removed from the barge-office, without the cognizance of the officer -in attendance, and without the rudder, at some period prior to the -discovery of the corpse. With a proper caution and perseverance we shall -infallibly trace this boat; for not only can the bargeman who picked -it up identify it, but the rudder is at hand. The rudder of a sail-boat -would not have been abandoned, without inquiry, by one altogether at -ease in heart. And here let me pause to insinuate a question. There was -no advertisement of the picking up of this boat. It was silently -taken to the barge-office, and as silently removed. But its owner or -employer--how happened he, at so early a period as Tuesday morning, to -be informed, without the agency of advertisement, of the locality of -the boat taken up on Monday, unless we imagine some connexion with the -navy--some personal permanent connexion leading to cognizance of its -minute in interests--its petty local news? - -"In speaking of the lonely assassin dragging his burden to the shore, -I have already suggested the probability of his availing himself of a -boat. Now we are to understand that Marie Rogêt was precipitated from a -boat. This would naturally have been the case. The corpse could not have -been trusted to the shallow waters of the shore. The peculiar marks on -the back and shoulders of the victim tell of the bottom ribs of a boat. -That the body was found without weight is also corroborative of the -idea. If thrown from the shore a weight would have been attached. We can -only account for its absence by supposing the murderer to have neglected -the precaution of supplying himself with it before pushing off. In the -act of consigning the corpse to the water, he would unquestionably have -noticed his oversight; but then no remedy would have been at hand. -Any risk would have been preferred to a return to that accursed shore. -Having rid himself of his ghastly charge, the murderer would have -hastened to the city. There, at some obscure wharf, he would have leaped -on land. But the boat--would he have secured it? He would have been -in too great haste for such things as securing a boat. Moreover, in -fastening it to the wharf, he would have felt as if securing evidence -against himself. His natural thought would have been to cast from him, -as far as possible, all that had held connection with his crime. He -would not only have fled from the wharf, but he would not have permitted -the boat to remain. Assuredly he would have cast it adrift. Let us -pursue our fancies.--In the morning, the wretch is stricken with -unutterable horror at finding that the boat has been picked up and -detained at a locality which he is in the daily habit of frequenting ---at a locality, perhaps, which his duty compels him to frequent. The -next night, without daring to ask for the rudder, he removes it. Now -where is that rudderless boat? Let it be one of our first purposes -to discover. With the first glimpse we obtain of it, the dawn of our -success shall begin. This boat shall guide us, with a rapidity which -will surprise even ourselves, to him who employed it in the midnight of -the fatal Sabbath. Corroboration will rise upon corroboration, and the -murderer will be traced." - -[For reasons which we shall not specify, but which to many readers will -appear obvious, we have taken the liberty of here omitting, from the -MSS. placed in our hands, such portion as details the following up of -the apparently slight clew obtained by Dupin. We feel it advisable only -to state, in brief, that the result desired was brought to pass; and -that the Prefect fulfilled punctually, although with reluctance, the -terms of his compact with the Chevalier. Mr. Poe's article concludes -with the following words.--Eds. (*23)] - -It will be understood that I speak of coincidences and no more. What -I have said above upon this topic must suffice. In my own heart there -dwells no faith in præter-nature. That Nature and its God are two, no -man who thinks, will deny. That the latter, creating the former, can, at -will, control or modify it, is also unquestionable. I say "at will;" for -the question is of will, and not, as the insanity of logic has assumed, -of power. It is not that the Deity cannot modify his laws, but that we -insult him in imagining a possible necessity for modification. In their -origin these laws were fashioned to embrace all contingencies which -could lie in the Future. With God all is Now. - -I repeat, then, that I speak of these things only as of coincidences. -And farther: in what I relate it will be seen that between the fate of -the unhappy Mary Cecilia Rogers, so far as that fate is known, and the -fate of one Marie Rogêt up to a certain epoch in her history, there has -existed a parallel in the contemplation of whose wonderful exactitude -the reason becomes embarrassed. I say all this will be seen. But let it -not for a moment be supposed that, in proceeding with the sad narrative -of Marie from the epoch just mentioned, and in tracing to its dénouement -the mystery which enshrouded her, it is my covert design to hint at an -extension of the parallel, or even to suggest that the measures adopted -in Paris for the discovery of the assassin of a grisette, or measures -founded in any similar ratiocination, would produce any similar result. - -For, in respect to the latter branch of the supposition, it should be -considered that the most trifling variation in the facts of the -two cases might give rise to the most important miscalculations, -by diverting thoroughly the two courses of events; very much as, -in arithmetic, an error which, in its own individuality, may be -inappreciable, produces, at length, by dint of multiplication at all -points of the process, a result enormously at variance with truth. And, -in regard to the former branch, we must not fail to hold in view that -the very Calculus of Probabilities to which I have referred, forbids all -idea of the extension of the parallel:--forbids it with a positiveness -strong and decided just in proportion as this parallel has already been -long-drawn and exact. This is one of those anomalous propositions which, -seemingly appealing to thought altogether apart from the mathematical, -is yet one which only the mathematician can fully entertain. Nothing, -for example, is more difficult than to convince the merely general -reader that the fact of sixes having been thrown twice in succession by -a player at dice, is sufficient cause for betting the largest odds that -sixes will not be thrown in the third attempt. A suggestion to this -effect is usually rejected by the intellect at once. It does not -appear that the two throws which have been completed, and which lie now -absolutely in the Past, can have influence upon the throw which exists -only in the Future. The chance for throwing sixes seems to be precisely -as it was at any ordinary time--that is to say, subject only to the -influence of the various other throws which may be made by the dice. And -this is a reflection which appears so exceedingly obvious that attempts -to controvert it are received more frequently with a derisive smile -than with anything like respectful attention. The error here involved--a -gross error redolent of mischief--I cannot pretend to expose within the -limits assigned me at present; and with the philosophical it needs -no exposure. It may be sufficient here to say that it forms one of an -infinite series of mistakes which arise in the path of Reason through -her propensity for seeking truth in detail. - -Footnotes--Marie Rogêt - -(*1) Upon the original publication of "Marie Roget," the foot-notes now -appended were considered unnecessary; but the lapse of several years -since the tragedy upon which the tale is based, renders it expedient -to give them, and also to say a few words in explanation of the general -design. A young girl, Mary Cecilia Rogers, was murdered in the -vicinity of New York; and, although her death occasioned an intense and -long-enduring excitement, the mystery attending it had remained -unsolved at the period when the present paper was written and published -(November, 1842). Herein, under pretence of relating the fate of -a Parisian grisette, the author has followed in minute detail, the -essential, while merely paralleling the inessential facts of the real -murder of Mary Rogers. Thus all argument founded upon the fiction is -applicable to the truth: and the investigation of the truth was the -object. The "Mystery of Marie Roget" was composed at a distance from the -scene of the atrocity, and with no other means of investigation than the -newspapers afforded. Thus much escaped the writer of which he could have -availed himself had he been upon the spot, and visited the localities. -It may not be improper to record, nevertheless, that the confessions of -two persons, (one of them the Madame Deluc of the narrative) made, at -different periods, long subsequent to the publication, confirmed, in -full, not only the general conclusion, but absolutely all the chief -hypothetical details by which that conclusion was attained. - -(*2) The nom de plume of Von Hardenburg. - -(*3) Nassau Street. - -(*4) Anderson. - -(*5) The Hudson. - -(*6) Weehawken. - -(*7) Payne. - -(*8) Crommelin. - -(*9) The New York "Mercury." - -(*10) The New York "Brother Jonathan," edited by H. Hastings Weld, Esq. - -(*11) New York "Journal of Commerce." - -(*12) Philadelphia "Saturday Evening Post," edited by C. I. Peterson, -Esq. - -(*13) Adam - -(*14) See "Murders in the Rue Morgue." - -(*15) The New York "Commercial Advertiser," edited by Col. Stone. - -(*16) "A theory based on the qualities of an object, will prevent its -being unfolded according to its objects; and he who arranges topics in -reference to their causes, will cease to value them according to their -results. Thus the jurisprudence of every nation will show that, when law -becomes a science and a system, it ceases to be justice. The errors -into which a blind devotion to principles of classification has led the -common law, will be seen by observing how often the legislature has -been obliged to come forward to restore the equity its scheme had -lost."--Landor. - -(*17) New York "Express" - -(*18) New York "Herald." - -(*19) New York "Courier and Inquirer." - -(*20) Mennais was one of the parties originally suspected and arrested, -but discharged through total lack of evidence. - -(*21) New York "Courier and Inquirer." - -(*22) New York "Evening Post." - -(*23) Of the Magazine in which the article was originally published. - - - - -THE BALLOON-HOAX - - [Astounding News by Express, _via_ Norfolk!--The Atlantic - crossed in Three Days! Signal Triumph of Mr. Monck Mason's Flying - Machine!--Arrival at Sullivan's Island, near Charlestown, S.C., of - Mr. Mason, Mr. Robert Holland, Mr. Henson, Mr. Harrison Ainsworth, - and four others, in the Steering Balloon, "Victoria," after a passage - of Seventy-five Hours from Land to Land! Full Particulars of the - Voyage! - - The subjoined _jeu d'esprit_ with the preceding heading in - magnificent capitals, well interspersed with notes of admiration, was - originally published, as matter of fact, in the "New York Sun," a - daily newspaper, and therein fully subserved the purpose of creating - indigestible aliment for the _quidnuncs_ during the few hours - intervening between a couple of the Charleston mails. The rush for - the "sole paper which had the news," was something beyond even the - prodigious; and, in fact, if (as some assert) the "Victoria" _did_ - not absolutely accomplish the voyage recorded, it will be difficult - to assign a reason why she _should_ not have accomplished it.] - -THE great problem is at length solved! The air, as well as the earth -and the ocean, has been subdued by science, and will become a common and -convenient highway for mankind. _The Atlantic has been actually crossed -in a Balloon!_ and this too without difficulty--without any great -apparent danger--with thorough control of the machine--and in the -inconceivably brief period of seventy-five hours from shore to shore! -By the energy of an agent at Charleston, S.C., we are enabled to be -the first to furnish the public with a detailed account of this most -extraordinary voyage, which was performed between Saturday, the 6th -instant, at 11, A.M., and 2, P.M., on Tuesday, the 9th instant, by Sir -Everard Bringhurst; Mr. Osborne, a nephew of Lord Bentinck's; Mr. Monck -Mason and Mr. Robert Holland, the well-known æronauts; Mr. Harrison -Ainsworth, author of "Jack Sheppard," &c.; and Mr. Henson, the -projector of the late unsuccessful flying machine--with two seamen from -Woolwich--in all, eight persons. The particulars furnished below may be -relied on as authentic and accurate in every respect, as, with a slight -exception, they are copied _verbatim_ from the joint diaries of Mr. -Monck Mason and Mr. Harrison Ainsworth, to whose politeness our agent is -also indebted for much verbal information respecting the balloon itself, -its construction, and other matters of interest. The only alteration in -the MS. received, has been made for the purpose of throwing the hurried -account of our agent, Mr. Forsyth, into a connected and intelligible -form. - -"THE BALLOON. - -"Two very decided failures, of late--those of Mr. Henson and Sir George -Cayley--had much weakened the public interest in the subject of aerial -navigation. Mr. Henson's scheme (which at first was considered very -feasible even by men of science,) was founded upon the principle of an -inclined plane, started from an eminence by an extrinsic force, applied -and continued by the revolution of impinging vanes, in form and number -resembling the vanes of a windmill. But, in all the experiments made -with models at the Adelaide Gallery, it was found that the operation of -these fans not only did not propel the machine, but actually impeded -its flight. The only propelling force it ever exhibited, was the mere -_impetus_ acquired from the descent of the inclined plane; and this -_impetus_ carried the machine farther when the vanes were at rest, than -when they were in motion--a fact which sufficiently demonstrates their -inutility; and in the absence of the propelling, which was also the -_sustaining_ power, the whole fabric would necessarily descend. -This consideration led Sir George Cayley to think only of adapting -a propeller to some machine having of itself an independent power of -support--in a word, to a balloon; the idea, however, being novel, -or original, with Sir George, only so far as regards the mode of its -application to practice. He exhibited a model of his invention at the -Polytechnic Institution. The propelling principle, or power, was here, -also, applied to interrupted surfaces, or vanes, put in revolution. -These vanes were four in number, but were found entirely ineffectual in -moving the balloon, or in aiding its ascending power. The whole project -was thus a complete failure. - -"It was at this juncture that Mr. Monck Mason (whose voyage from Dover -to Weilburg in the balloon, "Nassau," occasioned so much excitement in -1837,) conceived the idea of employing the principle of the Archimedean -screw for the purpose of propulsion through the air--rightly -attributing the failure of Mr. Henson's scheme, and of Sir George -Cayley's, to the interruption of surface in the independent vanes. -He made the first public experiment at Willis's Rooms, but afterward -removed his model to the Adelaide Gallery. - -"Like Sir George Cayley's balloon, his own was an ellipsoid. Its -length was thirteen feet six inches--height, six feet eight inches. It -contained about three hundred and twenty cubic feet of gas, which, if -pure hydrogen, would support twenty-one pounds upon its first inflation, -before the gas has time to deteriorate or escape. The weight of the -whole machine and apparatus was seventeen pounds--leaving about four -pounds to spare. Beneath the centre of the balloon, was a frame of light -wood, about nine feet long, and rigged on to the balloon itself with -a network in the customary manner. From this framework was suspended a -wicker basket or car. - -"The screw consists of an axis of hollow brass tube, eighteen inches in -length, through which, upon a semi-spiral inclined at fifteen degrees, -pass a series of steel wire radii, two feet long, and thus projecting a -foot on either side. These radii are connected at the outer extremities -by two bands of flattened wire--the whole in this manner forming the -framework of the screw, which is completed by a covering of oiled silk -cut into gores, and tightened so as to present a tolerably uniform -surface. At each end of its axis this screw is supported by pillars of -hollow brass tube descending from the hoop. In the lower ends of these -tubes are holes in which the pivots of the axis revolve. From the end -of the axis which is next the car, proceeds a shaft of steel, connecting -the screw with the pinion of a piece of spring machinery fixed in the -car. By the operation of this spring, the screw is made to revolve with -great rapidity, communicating a progressive motion to the whole. By -means of the rudder, the machine was readily turned in any direction. -The spring was of great power, compared with its dimensions, being -capable of raising forty-five pounds upon a barrel of four inches -diameter, after the first turn, and gradually increasing as it was wound -up. It weighed, altogether, eight pounds six ounces. The rudder was -a light frame of cane covered with silk, shaped somewhat like a -battle-door, and was about three feet long, and at the widest, one foot. -Its weight was about two ounces. It could be turned _flat_, and directed -upwards or downwards, as well as to the right or left; and thus enabled -the æronaut to transfer the resistance of the air which in an inclined -position it must generate in its passage, to any side upon which he -might desire to act; thus determining the balloon in the opposite -direction. - -"This model (which, through want of time, we have necessarily described -in an imperfect manner,) was put in action at the Adelaide Gallery, -where it accomplished a velocity of five miles per hour; although, -strange to say, it excited very little interest in comparison with the -previous complex machine of Mr. Henson--so resolute is the world -to despise anything which carries with it an air of simplicity. To -accomplish the great desideratum of ærial navigation, it was very -generally supposed that some exceedingly complicated application must be -made of some unusually profound principle in dynamics. - -"So well satisfied, however, was Mr. Mason of the ultimate success of -his invention, that he determined to construct immediately, if possible, -a balloon of sufficient capacity to test the question by a voyage of -some extent--the original design being to cross the British Channel, as -before, in the Nassau balloon. To carry out his views, he solicited and -obtained the patronage of Sir Everard Bringhurst and Mr. Osborne, two -gentlemen well known for scientific acquirement, and especially for the -interest they have exhibited in the progress of ærostation. The project, -at the desire of Mr. Osborne, was kept a profound secret from the -public--the only persons entrusted with the design being those actually -engaged in the construction of the machine, which was built (under the -superintendence of Mr. Mason, Mr. Holland, Sir Everard Bringhurst, and -Mr. Osborne,) at the seat of the latter gentleman near Penstruthal, in -Wales. Mr. Henson, accompanied by his friend Mr. Ainsworth, was admitted -to a private view of the balloon, on Saturday last--when the two -gentlemen made final arrangements to be included in the adventure. We -are not informed for what reason the two seamen were also included in -the party--but, in the course of a day or two, we shall put our readers -in possession of the minutest particulars respecting this extraordinary -voyage. - -"The balloon is composed of silk, varnished with the liquid gum -caoutchouc. It is of vast dimensions, containing more than 40,000 cubic -feet of gas; but as coal gas was employed in place of the more expensive -and inconvenient hydrogen, the supporting power of the machine, when -fully inflated, and immediately after inflation, is not more than about -2500 pounds. The coal gas is not only much less costly, but is easily -procured and managed. - -"For its introduction into common use for purposes of aerostation, we -are indebted to Mr. Charles Green. Up to his discovery, the process of -inflation was not only exceedingly expensive, but uncertain. Two, and -even three days, have frequently been wasted in futile attempts to -procure a sufficiency of hydrogen to fill a balloon, from which it -had great tendency to escape, owing to its extreme subtlety, and its -affinity for the surrounding atmosphere. In a balloon sufficiently -perfect to retain its contents of coal-gas unaltered, in quantity or -amount, for six months, an equal quantity of hydrogen could not be -maintained in equal purity for six weeks. - -"The supporting power being estimated at 2500 pounds, and the united -weights of the party amounting only to about 1200, there was left a -surplus of 1300, of which again 1200 was exhausted by ballast, arranged -in bags of different sizes, with their respective weights marked upon -them--by cordage, barometers, telescopes, barrels containing provision -for a fortnight, water-casks, cloaks, carpet-bags, and various other -indispensable matters, including a coffee-warmer, contrived for warming -coffee by means of slack-lime, so as to dispense altogether with fire, -if it should be judged prudent to do so. All these articles, with the -exception of the ballast, and a few trifles, were suspended from the -hoop overhead. The car is much smaller and lighter, in proportion, than -the one appended to the model. It is formed of a light wicker, and is -wonderfully strong, for so frail looking a machine. Its rim is about -four feet deep. The rudder is also very much larger, in proportion, than -that of the model; and the screw is considerably smaller. The balloon is -furnished besides with a grapnel, and a guide-rope; which latter is of -the most indispensable importance. A few words, in explanation, will -here be necessary for such of our readers as are not conversant with the -details of aerostation. - -"As soon as the balloon quits the earth, it is subjected to the -influence of many circumstances tending to create a difference in its -weight; augmenting or diminishing its ascending power. For example, -there may be a deposition of dew upon the silk, to the extent, even, -of several hundred pounds; ballast has then to be thrown out, or the -machine may descend. This ballast being discarded, and a clear sunshine -evaporating the dew, and at the same time expanding the gas in the silk, -the whole will again rapidly ascend. To check this ascent, the only -recourse is, (or rather _was_, until Mr. Green's invention of the -guide-rope,) the permission of the escape of gas from the valve; but, in -the loss of gas, is a proportionate general loss of ascending power; so -that, in a comparatively brief period, the best-constructed balloon must -necessarily exhaust all its resources, and come to the earth. This was -the great obstacle to voyages of length. - -"The guide-rope remedies the difficulty in the simplest manner -conceivable. It is merely a very long rope which is suffered to trail -from the car, and the effect of which is to prevent the balloon from -changing its level in any material degree. If, for example, there should -be a deposition of moisture upon the silk, and the machine begins to -descend in consequence, there will be no necessity for discharging -ballast to remedy the increase of weight, for it is remedied, or -counteracted, in an exactly just proportion, by the deposit on the -ground of just so much of the end of the rope as is necessary. If, -on the other hand, any circumstances should cause undue levity, and -consequent ascent, this levity is immediately counteracted by the -additional weight of rope upraised from the earth. Thus, the balloon -can neither ascend or descend, except within very narrow limits, and its -resources, either in gas or ballast, remain comparatively unimpaired. -When passing over an expanse of water, it becomes necessary to employ -small kegs of copper or wood, filled with liquid ballast of a lighter -nature than water. These float, and serve all the purposes of a mere -rope on land. Another most important office of the guide-rope, is to -point out the _direction_ of the balloon. The rope _drags_, either on -land or sea, while the balloon is free; the latter, consequently, is -always in advance, when any progress whatever is made: a comparison, -therefore, by means of the compass, of the relative positions of the two -objects, will always indicate the _course_. In the same way, the angle -formed by the rope with the vertical axis of the machine, indicates -the _velocity_. When there is _no_ angle--in other words, when the rope -hangs perpendicularly, the whole apparatus is stationary; but the larger -the angle, that is to say, the farther the balloon precedes the end of -the rope, the greater the velocity; and the converse. - -"As the original design was to cross the British Channel, and alight as -near Paris as possible, the voyagers had taken the precaution to prepare -themselves with passports directed to all parts of the Continent, -specifying the nature of the expedition, as in the case of the Nassau -voyage, and entitling the adventurers to exemption from the usual -formalities of office: unexpected events, however, rendered these -passports superfluous. - -"The inflation was commenced very quietly at daybreak, on Saturday -morning, the 6th instant, in the Court-Yard of Weal-Vor House, Mr. -Osborne's seat, about a mile from Penstruthal, in North Wales; and at 7 -minutes past 11, every thing being ready for departure, the balloon was -set free, rising gently but steadily, in a direction nearly South; no -use being made, for the first half hour, of either the screw or the -rudder. We proceed now with the journal, as transcribed by Mr. Forsyth -from the joint MSS. Of Mr. Monck Mason, and Mr. Ainsworth. The body of -the journal, as given, is in the hand-writing of Mr. Mason, and a P. -S. is appended, each day, by Mr. Ainsworth, who has in preparation, and -will shortly give the public a more minute, and no doubt, a thrillingly -interesting account of the voyage. - -"THE JOURNAL. - -"_Saturday, April the 6th_.--Every preparation likely to embarrass us, -having been made over night, we commenced the inflation this morning at -daybreak; but owing to a thick fog, which encumbered the folds of the -silk and rendered it unmanageable, we did not get through before nearly -eleven o'clock. Cut loose, then, in high spirits, and rose gently but -steadily, with a light breeze at North, which bore us in the direction -of the British Channel. Found the ascending force greater than we had -expected; and as we arose higher and so got clear of the cliffs, and -more in the sun's rays, our ascent became very rapid. I did not wish, -however, to lose gas at so early a period of the adventure, and so -concluded to ascend for the present. We soon ran out our guide-rope; -but even when we had raised it clear of the earth, we still went up very -rapidly. The balloon was unusually steady, and looked beautifully. In -about ten minutes after starting, the barometer indicated an altitude -of 15,000 feet. The weather was remarkably fine, and the view of the -subjacent country--a most romantic one when seen from any point,--was -now especially sublime. The numerous deep gorges presented the -appearance of lakes, on account of the dense vapors with which they -were filled, and the pinnacles and crags to the South East, piled in -inextricable confusion, resembling nothing so much as the giant cities -of eastern fable. We were rapidly approaching the mountains in the -South; but our elevation was more than sufficient to enable us to pass -them in safety. In a few minutes we soared over them in fine style; and -Mr. Ainsworth, with the seamen, was surprised at their apparent want of -altitude when viewed from the car, the tendency of great elevation in a -balloon being to reduce inequalities of the surface below, to nearly -a dead level. At half-past eleven still proceeding nearly South, we -obtained our first view of the Bristol Channel; and, in fifteen minutes -afterward, the line of breakers on the coast appeared immediately -beneath us, and we were fairly out at sea. We now resolved to let off -enough gas to bring our guide-rope, with the buoys affixed, into the -water. This was immediately done, and we commenced a gradual descent. -In about twenty minutes our first buoy dipped, and at the touch of the -second soon afterwards, we remained stationary as to elevation. We were -all now anxious to test the efficiency of the rudder and screw, and we -put them both into requisition forthwith, for the purpose of altering -our direction more to the eastward, and in a line for Paris. By means of -the rudder we instantly effected the necessary change of direction, and -our course was brought nearly at right angles to that of the wind; when -we set in motion the spring of the screw, and were rejoiced to find it -propel us readily as desired. Upon this we gave nine hearty cheers, and -dropped in the sea a bottle, enclosing a slip of parchment with a brief -account of the principle of the invention. Hardly, however, had we -done with our rejoicings, when an unforeseen accident occurred which -discouraged us in no little degree. The steel rod connecting the spring -with the propeller was suddenly jerked out of place, at the car end, (by -a swaying of the car through some movement of one of the two seamen we -had taken up,) and in an instant hung dangling out of reach, from the -pivot of the axis of the screw. While we were endeavoring to regain it, -our attention being completely absorbed, we became involved in a strong -current of wind from the East, which bore us, with rapidly increasing -force, towards the Atlantic. We soon found ourselves driving out to sea -at the rate of not less, certainly, than fifty or sixty miles an hour, -so that we came up with Cape Clear, at some forty miles to our North, -before we had secured the rod, and had time to think what we were about. -It was now that Mr. Ainsworth made an extraordinary, but to my fancy, -a by no means unreasonable or chimerical proposition, in which he was -instantly seconded by Mr. Holland--viz.: that we should take advantage -of the strong gale which bore us on, and in place of beating back to -Paris, make an attempt to reach the coast of North America. After slight -reflection I gave a willing assent to this bold proposition, which -(strange to say) met with objection from the two seamen only. As the -stronger party, however, we overruled their fears, and kept resolutely -upon our course. We steered due West; but as the trailing of the buoys -materially impeded our progress, and we had the balloon abundantly at -command, either for ascent or descent, we first threw out fifty pounds -of ballast, and then wound up (by means of a windlass) so much of the -rope as brought it quite clear of the sea. We perceived the effect of -this manoeuvre immediately, in a vastly increased rate of progress; and, -as the gale freshened, we flew with a velocity nearly inconceivable; the -guide-rope flying out behind the car, like a streamer from a vessel. It -is needless to say that a very short time sufficed us to lose sight of -the coast. We passed over innumerable vessels of all kinds, a few of -which were endeavoring to beat up, but the most of them lying to. We -occasioned the greatest excitement on board all--an excitement greatly -relished by ourselves, and especially by our two men, who, now under the -influence of a dram of Geneva, seemed resolved to give all scruple, or -fear, to the wind. Many of the vessels fired signal guns; and in all -we were saluted with loud cheers (which we heard with surprising -distinctness) and the waving of caps and handkerchiefs. We kept on in -this manner throughout the day, with no material incident, and, as -the shades of night closed around us, we made a rough estimate of the -distance traversed. It could not have been less than five hundred -miles, and was probably much more. The propeller was kept in constant -operation, and, no doubt, aided our progress materially. As the sun -went down, the gale freshened into an absolute hurricane, and the ocean -beneath was clearly visible on account of its phosphorescence. The wind -was from the East all night, and gave us the brightest omen of success. -We suffered no little from cold, and the dampness of the atmosphere was -most unpleasant; but the ample space in the car enabled us to lie down, -and by means of cloaks and a few blankets, we did sufficiently well. - -"P.S. (by Mr. Ainsworth.) The last nine hours have been unquestionably -the most exciting of my life. I can conceive nothing more sublimating -than the strange peril and novelty of an adventure such as this. May -God grant that we succeed! I ask not success for mere safety to my -insignificant person, but for the sake of human knowledge and--for the -vastness of the triumph. And yet the feat is only so evidently feasible -that the sole wonder is why men have scrupled to attempt it before. One -single gale such as now befriends us--let such a tempest whirl forward -a balloon for four or five days (these gales often last longer) and the -voyager will be easily borne, in that period, from coast to coast. In -view of such a gale the broad Atlantic becomes a mere lake. I am more -struck, just now, with the supreme silence which reigns in the -sea beneath us, notwithstanding its agitation, than with any other -phenomenon presenting itself. The waters give up no voice to -the heavens. The immense flaming ocean writhes and is tortured -uncomplainingly. The mountainous surges suggest the idea of innumerable -dumb gigantic fiends struggling in impotent agony. In a night such as is -this to me, a man _lives_--lives a whole century of ordinary life--nor -would I forego this rapturous delight for that of a whole century of -ordinary existence. - -"_Sunday, the seventh_. [Mr. Mason's MS.] This morning the gale, by 10, -had subsided to an eight or nine--knot breeze, (for a vessel at sea,) -and bears us, perhaps, thirty miles per hour, or more. It has veered, -however, very considerably to the north; and now, at sundown, we are -holding our course due west, principally by the screw and rudder, which -answer their purposes to admiration. I regard the project as thoroughly -successful, and the easy navigation of the air in any direction (not -exactly in the teeth of a gale) as no longer problematical. We could not -have made head against the strong wind of yesterday; but, by ascending, -we might have got out of its influence, if requisite. Against a pretty -stiff breeze, I feel convinced, we can make our way with the propeller. -At noon, to-day, ascended to an elevation of nearly 25,000 feet, by -discharging ballast. Did this to search for a more direct current, but -found none so favorable as the one we are now in. We have an abundance -of gas to take us across this small pond, even should the voyage -last three weeks. I have not the slightest fear for the result. The -difficulty has been strangely exaggerated and misapprehended. I can -choose my current, and should I find _all_ currents against me, I can -make very tolerable headway with the propeller. We have had no incidents -worth recording. The night promises fair. - -P.S. [By Mr. Ainsworth.] I have little to record, except the fact (to me -quite a surprising one) that, at an elevation equal to that of Cotopaxi, -I experienced neither very intense cold, nor headache, nor difficulty -of breathing; neither, I find, did Mr. Mason, nor Mr. Holland, nor Sir -Everard. Mr. Osborne complained of constriction of the chest--but this -soon wore off. We have flown at a great rate during the day, and we -must be more than half way across the Atlantic. We have passed over -some twenty or thirty vessels of various kinds, and all seem to be -delightfully astonished. Crossing the ocean in a balloon is not so -difficult a feat after all. _Omne ignotum pro magnifico. Mem:_ at -25,000 feet elevation the sky appears nearly black, and the stars are -distinctly visible; while the sea does not seem convex (as one might -suppose) but absolutely and most unequivocally _concave_.(*1) - -"_Monday, the 8th_. [Mr. Mason's MS.] This morning we had again some -little trouble with the rod of the propeller, which must be entirely -remodelled, for fear of serious accident--I mean the steel rod--not -the vanes. The latter could not be improved. The wind has been blowing -steadily and strongly from the north-east all day and so far fortune -seems bent upon favoring us. Just before day, we were all somewhat -alarmed at some odd noises and concussions in the balloon, accompanied -with the apparent rapid subsidence of the whole machine. These phenomena -were occasioned by the expansion of the gas, through increase of heat in -the atmosphere, and the consequent disruption of the minute particles of -ice with which the network had become encrusted during the night. Threw -down several bottles to the vessels below. Saw one of them picked up by -a large ship--seemingly one of the New York line packets. Endeavored to -make out her name, but could not be sure of it. Mr. Osborne's telescope -made it out something like "Atalanta." It is now 12, at night, and we -are still going nearly west, at a rapid pace. The sea is peculiarly -phosphorescent. - -"P.S. [By Mr. Ainsworth.] It is now 2, A.M., and nearly calm, as well as -I can judge--but it is very difficult to determine this point, since -we move _with_ the air so completely. I have not slept since quitting -Wheal-Vor, but can stand it no longer, and must take a nap. We cannot be -far from the American coast. - -"_Tuesday, the _9_th_. [Mr. Ainsworth's MS.] _One, P.M. We are in -full view of the low coast of South Carolina_. The great problem is -accomplished. We have crossed the Atlantic--fairly and _easily_ -crossed it in a balloon! God be praised! Who shall say that anything is -impossible hereafter?" - -The Journal here ceases. Some particulars of the descent were -communicated, however, by Mr. Ainsworth to Mr. Forsyth. It was nearly -dead calm when the voyagers first came in view of the coast, which -was immediately recognized by both the seamen, and by Mr. Osborne. -The latter gentleman having acquaintances at Fort Moultrie, it was -immediately resolved to descend in its vicinity. The balloon was brought -over the beach (the tide being out and the sand hard, smooth, and -admirably adapted for a descent,) and the grapnel let go, which took -firm hold at once. The inhabitants of the island, and of the fort, -thronged out, of course, to see the balloon; but it was with the -greatest difficulty that any one could be made to credit the actual -voyage--_the crossing of the Atlantic_. The grapnel caught at 2, P.M., -precisely; and thus the whole voyage was completed in seventy-five -hours; or rather less, counting from shore to shore. No serious accident -occurred. No real danger was at any time apprehended. The balloon was -exhausted and secured without trouble; and when the MS. from which this -narrative is compiled was despatched from Charleston, the party were -still at Fort Moultrie. Their farther intentions were not ascertained; -but we can safely promise our readers some additional information either -on Monday or in the course of the next day, at farthest. - -This is unquestionably the most stupendous, the most interesting, and -the most important undertaking, ever accomplished or even attempted by -man. What magnificent events may ensue, it would be useless now to think -of determining. - -(*1) _Note_.--Mr. Ainsworth has not attempted to account for this -phenomenon, which, however, is quite susceptible of explanation. A line -dropped from an elevation of 25,000 feet, perpendicularly to the surface -of the earth (or sea), would form the perpendicular of a right-angled -triangle, of which the base would extend from the right angle to the -horizon, and the hypothenuse from the horizon to the balloon. But the -25,000 feet of altitude is little or nothing, in comparison with the -extent of the prospect. In other words, the base and hypothenuse of the -supposed triangle would be so long when compared with the perpendicular, -that the two former may be regarded as nearly parallel. In this manner -the horizon of the æronaut would appear to be _on a level_ with the -car. But, as the point immediately beneath him seems, and is, at a great -distance below him, it seems, of course, also, at a great distance below -the horizon. Hence the impression of _concavity_; and this impression -must remain, until the elevation shall bear so great a proportion to -the extent of prospect, that the apparent parallelism of the base and -hypothenuse disappears--when the earth's real convexity must become -apparent. - - - - -MS. FOUND IN A BOTTLE - - Qui n'a plus qu'un moment a vivre - - N'a plus rien a dissimuler. - - --Quinault--Atys. - -OF my country and of my family I have little to say. Ill usage and -length of years have driven me from the one, and estranged me from the -other. Hereditary wealth afforded me an education of no common order, -and a contemplative turn of mind enabled me to methodize the stores -which early study very diligently garnered up.--Beyond all things, -the study of the German moralists gave me great delight; not from any -ill-advised admiration of their eloquent madness, but from the ease with -which my habits of rigid thought enabled me to detect their falsities. -I have often been reproached with the aridity of my genius; a deficiency -of imagination has been imputed to me as a crime; and the Pyrrhonism -of my opinions has at all times rendered me notorious. Indeed, a strong -relish for physical philosophy has, I fear, tinctured my mind with -a very common error of this age--I mean the habit of referring -occurrences, even the least susceptible of such reference, to the -principles of that science. Upon the whole, no person could be less -liable than myself to be led away from the severe precincts of truth by -the ignes fatui of superstition. I have thought proper to premise thus -much, lest the incredible tale I have to tell should be considered -rather the raving of a crude imagination, than the positive experience -of a mind to which the reveries of fancy have been a dead letter and a -nullity. - -After many years spent in foreign travel, I sailed in the year 18-- , -from the port of Batavia, in the rich and populous island of Java, on -a voyage to the Archipelago of the Sunda islands. I went as -passenger--having no other inducement than a kind of nervous -restlessness which haunted me as a fiend. - -Our vessel was a beautiful ship of about four hundred tons, -copper-fastened, and built at Bombay of Malabar teak. She was freighted -with cotton-wool and oil, from the Lachadive islands. We had also on -board coir, jaggeree, ghee, cocoa-nuts, and a few cases of opium. The -stowage was clumsily done, and the vessel consequently crank. - -We got under way with a mere breath of wind, and for many days stood -along the eastern coast of Java, without any other incident to beguile -the monotony of our course than the occasional meeting with some of the -small grabs of the Archipelago to which we were bound. - -One evening, leaning over the taffrail, I observed a very singular, -isolated cloud, to the N.W. It was remarkable, as well for its color, as -from its being the first we had seen since our departure from Batavia. -I watched it attentively until sunset, when it spread all at once to -the eastward and westward, girting in the horizon with a narrow strip -of vapor, and looking like a long line of low beach. My notice was soon -afterwards attracted by the dusky-red appearance of the moon, and the -peculiar character of the sea. The latter was undergoing a rapid change, -and the water seemed more than usually transparent. Although I could -distinctly see the bottom, yet, heaving the lead, I found the ship in -fifteen fathoms. The air now became intolerably hot, and was loaded with -spiral exhalations similar to those arising from heat iron. As night -came on, every breath of wind died away, an more entire calm it is -impossible to conceive. The flame of a candle burned upon the poop -without the least perceptible motion, and a long hair, held between the -finger and thumb, hung without the possibility of detecting a vibration. -However, as the captain said he could perceive no indication of danger, -and as we were drifting in bodily to shore, he ordered the sails to -be furled, and the anchor let go. No watch was set, and the crew, -consisting principally of Malays, stretched themselves deliberately upon -deck. I went below--not without a full presentiment of evil. Indeed, -every appearance warranted me in apprehending a Simoom. I told the -captain my fears; but he paid no attention to what I said, and left me -without deigning to give a reply. My uneasiness, however, prevented me -from sleeping, and about midnight I went upon deck.--As I placed my foot -upon the upper step of the companion-ladder, I was startled by a -loud, humming noise, like that occasioned by the rapid revolution of a -mill-wheel, and before I could ascertain its meaning, I found the ship -quivering to its centre. In the next instant, a wilderness of foam -hurled us upon our beam-ends, and, rushing over us fore and aft, swept -the entire decks from stem to stern. - -The extreme fury of the blast proved, in a great measure, the salvation -of the ship. Although completely water-logged, yet, as her masts had -gone by the board, she rose, after a minute, heavily from the sea, and, -staggering awhile beneath the immense pressure of the tempest, finally -righted. - -By what miracle I escaped destruction, it is impossible to say. Stunned -by the shock of the water, I found myself, upon recovery, jammed in -between the stern-post and rudder. With great difficulty I gained my -feet, and looking dizzily around, was, at first, struck with the idea of -our being among breakers; so terrific, beyond the wildest imagination, -was the whirlpool of mountainous and foaming ocean within which we were -engulfed. After a while, I heard the voice of an old Swede, who had -shipped with us at the moment of our leaving port. I hallooed to -him with all my strength, and presently he came reeling aft. We soon -discovered that we were the sole survivors of the accident. All on deck, -with the exception of ourselves, had been swept overboard;--the captain -and mates must have perished as they slept, for the cabins were deluged -with water. Without assistance, we could expect to do little for the -security of the ship, and our exertions were at first paralyzed by the -momentary expectation of going down. Our cable had, of course, parted -like pack-thread, at the first breath of the hurricane, or we should -have been instantaneously overwhelmed. We scudded with frightful -velocity before the sea, and the water made clear breaches over us. The -frame-work of our stern was shattered excessively, and, in almost every -respect, we had received considerable injury; but to our extreme Joy we -found the pumps unchoked, and that we had made no great shifting of -our ballast. The main fury of the blast had already blown over, and we -apprehended little danger from the violence of the wind; but we looked -forward to its total cessation with dismay; well believing, that, in our -shattered condition, we should inevitably perish in the tremendous swell -which would ensue. But this very just apprehension seemed by no means -likely to be soon verified. For five entire days and nights--during -which our only subsistence was a small quantity of jaggeree, procured -with great difficulty from the forecastle--the hulk flew at a rate -defying computation, before rapidly succeeding flaws of wind, which, -without equalling the first violence of the Simoom, were still more -terrific than any tempest I had before encountered. Our course for the -first four days was, with trifling variations, S.E. and by S.; and we -must have run down the coast of New Holland.--On the fifth day the cold -became extreme, although the wind had hauled round a point more to the -northward.--The sun arose with a sickly yellow lustre, and clambered a -very few degrees above the horizon--emitting no decisive light.--There -were no clouds apparent, yet the wind was upon the increase, and blew -with a fitful and unsteady fury. About noon, as nearly as we could -guess, our attention was again arrested by the appearance of the sun. -It gave out no light, properly so called, but a dull and sullen glow -without reflection, as if all its rays were polarized. Just before -sinking within the turgid sea, its central fires suddenly went out, as -if hurriedly extinguished by some unaccountable power. It was a dim, -sliver-like rim, alone, as it rushed down the unfathomable ocean. - -We waited in vain for the arrival of the sixth day--that day to me -has not arrived--to the Swede, never did arrive. Thenceforward we were -enshrouded in patchy darkness, so that we could not have seen an object -at twenty paces from the ship. Eternal night continued to envelop us, -all unrelieved by the phosphoric sea-brilliancy to which we had been -accustomed in the tropics. We observed too, that, although the tempest -continued to rage with unabated violence, there was no longer to be -discovered the usual appearance of surf, or foam, which had hitherto -attended us. All around were horror, and thick gloom, and a black -sweltering desert of ebony.--Superstitious terror crept by degrees into -the spirit of the old Swede, and my own soul was wrapped up in silent -wonder. We neglected all care of the ship, as worse than useless, and -securing ourselves, as well as possible, to the stump of the mizen-mast, -looked out bitterly into the world of ocean. We had no means of -calculating time, nor could we form any guess of our situation. We were, -however, well aware of having made farther to the southward than any -previous navigators, and felt great amazement at not meeting with the -usual impediments of ice. In the meantime every moment threatened to be -our last--every mountainous billow hurried to overwhelm us. The swell -surpassed anything I had imagined possible, and that we were not -instantly buried is a miracle. My companion spoke of the lightness of -our cargo, and reminded me of the excellent qualities of our ship; but -I could not help feeling the utter hopelessness of hope itself, and -prepared myself gloomily for that death which I thought nothing could -defer beyond an hour, as, with every knot of way the ship made, -the swelling of the black stupendous seas became more dismally -appalling. At times we gasped for breath at an elevation beyond the -albatross--at times became dizzy with the velocity of our descent into -some watery hell, where the air grew stagnant, and no sound disturbed -the slumbers of the kraken. - -We were at the bottom of one of these abysses, when a quick scream -from my companion broke fearfully upon the night. "See! see!" cried he, -shrieking in my ears, "Almighty God! see! see!" As he spoke, I became -aware of a dull, sullen glare of red light which streamed down the sides -of the vast chasm where we lay, and threw a fitful brilliancy upon our -deck. Casting my eyes upwards, I beheld a spectacle which froze the -current of my blood. At a terrific height directly above us, and upon -the very verge of the precipitous descent, hovered a gigantic ship of, -perhaps, four thousand tons. Although upreared upon the summit of a wave -more than a hundred times her own altitude, her apparent size exceeded -that of any ship of the line or East Indiaman in existence. Her huge -hull was of a deep dingy black, unrelieved by any of the customary -carvings of a ship. A single row of brass cannon protruded from her open -ports, and dashed from their polished surfaces the fires of innumerable -battle-lanterns, which swung to and fro about her rigging. But what -mainly inspired us with horror and astonishment, was that she bore up -under a press of sail in the very teeth of that supernatural sea, and of -that ungovernable hurricane. When we first discovered her, her bows -were alone to be seen, as she rose slowly from the dim and horrible gulf -beyond her. For a moment of intense terror she paused upon the giddy -pinnacle, as if in contemplation of her own sublimity, then trembled and -tottered, and--came down. - -At this instant, I know not what sudden self-possession came over my -spirit. Staggering as far aft as I could, I awaited fearlessly the ruin -that was to overwhelm. Our own vessel was at length ceasing from her -struggles, and sinking with her head to the sea. The shock of the -descending mass struck her, consequently, in that portion of her frame -which was already under water, and the inevitable result was to hurl me, -with irresistible violence, upon the rigging of the stranger. - -As I fell, the ship hove in stays, and went about; and to the confusion -ensuing I attributed my escape from the notice of the crew. With little -difficulty I made my way unperceived to the main hatchway, which was -partially open, and soon found an opportunity of secreting myself in the -hold. Why I did so I can hardly tell. An indefinite sense of awe, which -at first sight of the navigators of the ship had taken hold of my mind, -was perhaps the principle of my concealment. I was unwilling to trust -myself with a race of people who had offered, to the cursory glance I -had taken, so many points of vague novelty, doubt, and apprehension. I -therefore thought proper to contrive a hiding-place in the hold. This I -did by removing a small portion of the shifting-boards, in such a manner -as to afford me a convenient retreat between the huge timbers of the -ship. - -I had scarcely completed my work, when a footstep in the hold forced me -to make use of it. A man passed by my place of concealment with a feeble -and unsteady gait. I could not see his face, but had an opportunity -of observing his general appearance. There was about it an evidence of -great age and infirmity. His knees tottered beneath a load of years, and -his entire frame quivered under the burthen. He muttered to himself, -in a low broken tone, some words of a language which I could not -understand, and groped in a corner among a pile of singular-looking -instruments, and decayed charts of navigation. His manner was a wild -mixture of the peevishness of second childhood, and the solemn dignity -of a God. He at length went on deck, and I saw him no more. - -* * * * * - -A feeling, for which I have no name, has taken possession of my soul ---a sensation which will admit of no analysis, to which the lessons of -bygone times are inadequate, and for which I fear futurity itself -will offer me no key. To a mind constituted like my own, the latter -consideration is an evil. I shall never--I know that I shall -never--be satisfied with regard to the nature of my conceptions. Yet it -is not wonderful that these conceptions are indefinite, since they have -their origin in sources so utterly novel. A new sense--a new entity is -added to my soul. - -* * * * * - -It is long since I first trod the deck of this terrible ship, and the -rays of my destiny are, I think, gathering to a focus. Incomprehensible -men! Wrapped up in meditations of a kind which I cannot divine, they -pass me by unnoticed. Concealment is utter folly on my part, for the -people will not see. It was but just now that I passed directly before -the eyes of the mate--it was no long while ago that I ventured into the -captain's own private cabin, and took thence the materials with which -I write, and have written. I shall from time to time continue this -Journal. It is true that I may not find an opportunity of transmitting -it to the world, but I will not fall to make the endeavour. At the last -moment I will enclose the MS. in a bottle, and cast it within the sea. - -* * * * * - -An incident has occurred which has given me new room for meditation. Are -such things the operation of ungoverned Chance? I had ventured upon deck -and thrown myself down, without attracting any notice, among a pile of -ratlin-stuff and old sails in the bottom of the yawl. While musing upon -the singularity of my fate, I unwittingly daubed with a tar-brush the -edges of a neatly-folded studding-sail which lay near me on a barrel. -The studding-sail is now bent upon the ship, and the thoughtless touches -of the brush are spread out into the word DISCOVERY. - -I have made many observations lately upon the structure of the vessel. -Although well armed, she is not, I think, a ship of war. Her rigging, -build, and general equipment, all negative a supposition of this -kind. What she is not, I can easily perceive--what she is I fear it is -impossible to say. I know not how it is, but in scrutinizing her strange -model and singular cast of spars, her huge size and overgrown suits -of canvas, her severely simple bow and antiquated stern, there will -occasionally flash across my mind a sensation of familiar things, and -there is always mixed up with such indistinct shadows of recollection, -an unaccountable memory of old foreign chronicles and ages long ago. - -* * * * * - -I have been looking at the timbers of the ship. She is built of a -material to which I am a stranger. There is a peculiar character about -the wood which strikes me as rendering it unfit for the purpose to -which it has been applied. I mean its extreme porousness, considered -independently by the worm-eaten condition which is a consequence of -navigation in these seas, and apart from the rottenness attendant upon -age. It will appear perhaps an observation somewhat over-curious, but -this wood would have every characteristic of Spanish oak, if Spanish oak -were distended by any unnatural means. - -In reading the above sentence a curious apothegm of an old -weather-beaten Dutch navigator comes full upon my recollection. "It -is as sure," he was wont to say, when any doubt was entertained of his -veracity, "as sure as there is a sea where the ship itself will grow in -bulk like the living body of the seaman." - -* * * * * - -About an hour ago, I made bold to thrust myself among a group of the -crew. They paid me no manner of attention, and, although I stood in the -very midst of them all, seemed utterly unconscious of my presence. Like -the one I had at first seen in the hold, they all bore about them the -marks of a hoary old age. Their knees trembled with infirmity; their -shoulders were bent double with decrepitude; their shrivelled skins -rattled in the wind; their voices were low, tremulous and broken; their -eyes glistened with the rheum of years; and their gray hairs streamed -terribly in the tempest. Around them, on every part of the deck, lay -scattered mathematical instruments of the most quaint and obsolete -construction. - -* * * * * - -I mentioned some time ago the bending of a studding-sail. From that -period the ship, being thrown dead off the wind, has continued her -terrific course due south, with every rag of canvas packed upon her, -from her trucks to her lower studding-sail booms, and rolling every -moment her top-gallant yard-arms into the most appalling hell of water -which it can enter into the mind of a man to imagine. I have just left -the deck, where I find it impossible to maintain a footing, although the -crew seem to experience little inconvenience. It appears to me a miracle -of miracles that our enormous bulk is not swallowed up at once and -forever. We are surely doomed to hover continually upon the brink of -Eternity, without taking a final plunge into the abyss. From billows a -thousand times more stupendous than any I have ever seen, we glide away -with the facility of the arrowy sea-gull; and the colossal waters rear -their heads above us like demons of the deep, but like demons confined -to simple threats and forbidden to destroy. I am led to attribute these -frequent escapes to the only natural cause which can account for such -effect.--I must suppose the ship to be within the influence of some -strong current, or impetuous under-tow. - -* * * * * - -I have seen the captain face to face, and in his own cabin--but, as I -expected, he paid me no attention. Although in his appearance there is, -to a casual observer, nothing which might bespeak him more or less than -man--still a feeling of irrepressible reverence and awe mingled with the -sensation of wonder with which I regarded him. In stature he is nearly -my own height; that is, about five feet eight inches. He is of a -well-knit and compact frame of body, neither robust nor remarkably -otherwise. But it is the singularity of the expression which reigns upon -the face--it is the intense, the wonderful, the thrilling evidence of -old age, so utter, so extreme, which excites within my spirit a sense--a -sentiment ineffable. His forehead, although little wrinkled, seems to -bear upon it the stamp of a myriad of years.--His gray hairs are records -of the past, and his grayer eyes are Sybils of the future. The cabin -floor was thickly strewn with strange, iron-clasped folios, and -mouldering instruments of science, and obsolete long-forgotten charts. -His head was bowed down upon his hands, and he pored, with a fiery -unquiet eye, over a paper which I took to be a commission, and which, at -all events, bore the signature of a monarch. He muttered to himself, as -did the first seaman whom I saw in the hold, some low peevish syllables -of a foreign tongue, and although the speaker was close at my elbow, his -voice seemed to reach my ears from the distance of a mile. - -* * * * * - -The ship and all in it are imbued with the spirit of Eld. The crew glide -to and fro like the ghosts of buried centuries; their eyes have an eager -and uneasy meaning; and when their fingers fall athwart my path in the -wild glare of the battle-lanterns, I feel as I have never felt before, -although I have been all my life a dealer in antiquities, and have -imbibed the shadows of fallen columns at Balbec, and Tadmor, and -Persepolis, until my very soul has become a ruin. - -* * * * * - -When I look around me I feel ashamed of my former apprehensions. If I -trembled at the blast which has hitherto attended us, shall I not stand -aghast at a warring of wind and ocean, to convey any idea of which -the words tornado and simoom are trivial and ineffective? All in the -immediate vicinity of the ship is the blackness of eternal night, and a -chaos of foamless water; but, about a league on either side of us, may -be seen, indistinctly and at intervals, stupendous ramparts of ice, -towering away into the desolate sky, and looking like the walls of the -universe. - -* * * * * - -As I imagined, the ship proves to be in a current; if that appellation -can properly be given to a tide which, howling and shrieking by the -white ice, thunders on to the southward with a velocity like the -headlong dashing of a cataract. - -* * * * * - -To conceive the horror of my sensations is, I presume, utterly -impossible; yet a curiosity to penetrate the mysteries of these awful -regions, predominates even over my despair, and will reconcile me to the -most hideous aspect of death. It is evident that we are hurrying onwards -to some exciting knowledge--some never-to-be-imparted secret, whose -attainment is destruction. Perhaps this current leads us to the southern -pole itself. It must be confessed that a supposition apparently so wild -has every probability in its favor. - -* * * * * - -The crew pace the deck with unquiet and tremulous step; but there is -upon their countenances an expression more of the eagerness of hope than -of the apathy of despair. - -In the meantime the wind is still in our poop, and, as we carry a crowd -of canvas, the ship is at times lifted bodily from out the sea--Oh, -horror upon horror! the ice opens suddenly to the right, and to the -left, and we are whirling dizzily, in immense concentric circles, round -and round the borders of a gigantic amphitheatre, the summit of whose -walls is lost in the darkness and the distance. But little time will be -left me to ponder upon my destiny--the circles rapidly grow small--we -are plunging madly within the grasp of the whirlpool--and amid a -roaring, and bellowing, and thundering of ocean and of tempest, the ship -is quivering, oh God! and--going down. - -NOTE.--The "MS. Found in a Bottle," was originally published in 1831, -and it was not until many years afterwards that I became acquainted with -the maps of Mercator, in which the ocean is represented as rushing, by -four mouths, into the (northern) Polar Gulf, to be absorbed into the -bowels of the earth; the Pole itself being represented by a black rock, -towering to a prodigious height. - - - - -THE OVAL PORTRAIT - -THE chateau into which my valet had ventured to make forcible entrance, -rather than permit me, in my desperately wounded condition, to pass a -night in the open air, was one of those piles of commingled gloom and -grandeur which have so long frowned among the Appennines, not less in -fact than in the fancy of Mrs. Radcliffe. To all appearance it had been -temporarily and very lately abandoned. We established ourselves in one -of the smallest and least sumptuously furnished apartments. It lay in a -remote turret of the building. Its decorations were rich, yet tattered -and antique. Its walls were hung with tapestry and bedecked with -manifold and multiform armorial trophies, together with an unusually -great number of very spirited modern paintings in frames of rich golden -arabesque. In these paintings, which depended from the walls not only -in their main surfaces, but in very many nooks which the bizarre -architecture of the chateau rendered necessary--in these paintings my -incipient delirium, perhaps, had caused me to take deep interest; so -that I bade Pedro to close the heavy shutters of the room--since it was -already night--to light the tongues of a tall candelabrum which stood by -the head of my bed--and to throw open far and wide the fringed curtains -of black velvet which enveloped the bed itself. I wished all this done -that I might resign myself, if not to sleep, at least alternately to the -contemplation of these pictures, and the perusal of a small volume which -had been found upon the pillow, and which purported to criticise and -describe them. - -Long--long I read--and devoutly, devotedly I gazed. Rapidly and -gloriously the hours flew by and the deep midnight came. The position of -the candelabrum displeased me, and outreaching my hand with difficulty, -rather than disturb my slumbering valet, I placed it so as to throw its -rays more fully upon the book. - -But the action produced an effect altogether unanticipated. The rays of -the numerous candles (for there were many) now fell within a niche of -the room which had hitherto been thrown into deep shade by one of the -bed-posts. I thus saw in vivid light a picture all unnoticed before. It -was the portrait of a young girl just ripening into womanhood. I glanced -at the painting hurriedly, and then closed my eyes. Why I did this -was not at first apparent even to my own perception. But while my lids -remained thus shut, I ran over in my mind my reason for so shutting -them. It was an impulsive movement to gain time for thought--to make -sure that my vision had not deceived me--to calm and subdue my fancy for -a more sober and more certain gaze. In a very few moments I again looked -fixedly at the painting. - -That I now saw aright I could not and would not doubt; for the first -flashing of the candles upon that canvas had seemed to dissipate the -dreamy stupor which was stealing over my senses, and to startle me at -once into waking life. - -The portrait, I have already said, was that of a young girl. It was a -mere head and shoulders, done in what is technically termed a vignette -manner; much in the style of the favorite heads of Sully. The arms, the -bosom, and even the ends of the radiant hair melted imperceptibly into -the vague yet deep shadow which formed the back-ground of the whole. The -frame was oval, richly gilded and filigreed in Moresque. As a thing of -art nothing could be more admirable than the painting itself. But it -could have been neither the execution of the work, nor the immortal -beauty of the countenance, which had so suddenly and so vehemently moved -me. Least of all, could it have been that my fancy, shaken from its half -slumber, had mistaken the head for that of a living person. I saw at -once that the peculiarities of the design, of the vignetting, and of the -frame, must have instantly dispelled such idea--must have prevented even -its momentary entertainment. Thinking earnestly upon these points, I -remained, for an hour perhaps, half sitting, half reclining, with my -vision riveted upon the portrait. At length, satisfied with the true -secret of its effect, I fell back within the bed. I had found the spell -of the picture in an absolute life-likeliness of expression, which, at -first startling, finally confounded, subdued, and appalled me. With deep -and reverent awe I replaced the candelabrum in its former position. The -cause of my deep agitation being thus shut from view, I sought eagerly -the volume which discussed the paintings and their histories. Turning -to the number which designated the oval portrait, I there read the vague -and quaint words which follow: - -"She was a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full of -glee. And evil was the hour when she saw, and loved, and wedded the -painter. He, passionate, studious, austere, and having already a bride -in his Art; she a maiden of rarest beauty, and not more lovely than full -of glee; all light and smiles, and frolicsome as the young fawn; loving -and cherishing all things; hating only the Art which was her rival; -dreading only the pallet and brushes and other untoward instruments -which deprived her of the countenance of her lover. It was thus a -terrible thing for this lady to hear the painter speak of his desire to -portray even his young bride. But she was humble and obedient, and sat -meekly for many weeks in the dark, high turret-chamber where the light -dripped upon the pale canvas only from overhead. But he, the painter, -took glory in his work, which went on from hour to hour, and from day to -day. And he was a passionate, and wild, and moody man, who became lost -in reveries; so that he would not see that the light which fell so -ghastly in that lone turret withered the health and the spirits of his -bride, who pined visibly to all but him. Yet she smiled on and still on, -uncomplainingly, because she saw that the painter (who had high renown) -took a fervid and burning pleasure in his task, and wrought day and -night to depict her who so loved him, yet who grew daily more dispirited -and weak. And in sooth some who beheld the portrait spoke of its -resemblance in low words, as of a mighty marvel, and a proof not less of -the power of the painter than of his deep love for her whom he depicted -so surpassingly well. But at length, as the labor drew nearer to its -conclusion, there were admitted none into the turret; for the painter -had grown wild with the ardor of his work, and turned his eyes from -canvas merely, even to regard the countenance of his wife. And he would -not see that the tints which he spread upon the canvas were drawn from -the cheeks of her who sate beside him. And when many weeks had passed, -and but little remained to do, save one brush upon the mouth and one -tint upon the eye, the spirit of the lady again flickered up as the -flame within the socket of the lamp. And then the brush was given, -and then the tint was placed; and, for one moment, the painter stood -entranced before the work which he had wrought; but in the next, while -he yet gazed, he grew tremulous and very pallid, and aghast, and crying -with a loud voice, 'This is indeed Life itself!' turned suddenly to -regard his beloved:--She was dead!" - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WORKS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE *** - -***** This file should be named 2147-8.txt or 2147-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/4/2147/ - -Produced by David Widger and Carlo Traverso - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project -Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you -charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you -do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the -rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose -such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and -research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do -practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is -subject to the trademark license, especially commercial -redistribution. - - - -*** START: FULL LICENSE *** - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project -Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at -http://gutenberg.org/license). - - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy -all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. -If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the -terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or -entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement -and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" -or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the -collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an -individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are -located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from -copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative -works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg -are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project -Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by -freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of -this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with -the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by -keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project -Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in -a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check -the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement -before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or -creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project -Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning -the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United -States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate -access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently -whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, -copied or distributed: - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived -from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is -posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied -and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees -or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work -with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the -work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 -through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the -Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or -1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional -terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked -to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the -permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any -word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or -distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than -"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version -posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), -you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a -copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon -request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other -form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided -that - -- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is - owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he - has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the - Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments - must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you - prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax - returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and - sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the - address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to - the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." - -- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or - destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium - and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of - Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any - money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days - of receipt of the work. - -- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set -forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from -both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael -Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the -Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm -collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain -"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or -corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual -property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a -computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by -your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with -your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with -the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a -refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity -providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to -receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy -is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further -opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER -WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO -WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. -If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the -law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be -interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by -the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any -provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance -with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, -promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, -harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, -that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do -or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm -work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any -Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. - - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers -including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists -because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from -people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. -To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation -and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 -and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive -Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at -http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent -permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. -Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered -throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at -809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email -business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact -information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official -page at http://pglaf.org - -For additional contact information: - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To -SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any -particular state visit http://pglaf.org - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. -To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate - - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic -works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily -keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. - - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |