In the humble and seemingly-quiet shade of private life, as well as
among the great and mighty, discontent broods over its imaginary
sorrows; preys upon the citizen no less than the courtier, and often
nourishes passions equally malignant in the cottage and in the palace.
Having once seized the mind, it spreads its own gloom over every
surrounding object; it every where searches out materials for itself;
and in no direction more frequently employs its unhappy activity, than
in creating divisions among mankind, and in magnifying slight
provocations into mortal injuries.
In situations where much comfort might be enjoyed, this man’s
superiority and that man’s neglect, our jealousy of a friend, our hatred
of a rival, an imagined affront, or a mistaken point of honour, allow us
no repose. Hence discord in families, animosities among friends, and
wars among nations! Look around us! every where we find a busy
multitude. Restless and uneasy in their present situation, they are
incessantly employed in accomplishing a change of it; and as soon as
their wish is fulfilled, we discern, by their behaviour, that they are
as dissatisfied as they were before. Where they expected to have found a
paradise, they find a desert.
The man of business pines for leisure; the leisure for which he had
longed proves an irksome gloom, and, through want of employment, he
languishes, sickens, and dies.
The man of retirement fancies no state so happy as that of active life;
but he has not engaged long in the tumults and contests of the world,
until he finds cause to look back with regret on the calm hours of his
former privacy and retreat.
Beauty, wit, eloquence and fame, are eagerly desired by persons in every
rank of life. They are the parent’s fondest wish for his child; the
ambition of the young, and the admiration of the old; and yet in what
numberless instances have they proved, to those who possessed them, no
other than shining snares, seductions to vice, instigations to folly,
and, in the end, sources of misery.
* * * * *
* * * *
THE VICTIM OF MAGICAL DELUSION;
_OR, INTERESTING MEMOIRS OF MIGUEL, DUKE DE CA*I*A._
Unfolding Many Curious Unknown Historical Facts.
_Translated from the German of Tschink._
(Concluded from page 315.)
The King proposed in the council of state in which this decree was
debated, that some of the criminals should be executed, but the rest
imprisoned for life. The Marquis of **ira insisted, however, upon the
execution of the legal punishment, and was seconded by the other
members. The King mitigated the punishment of those who had been
sentenced to be hanged, ordering them to be beheaded. The two prelates,
whose fate had been left to his Royal pleasure, were doomed to eternal
imprisonment.
Going to Court the next day, I heard Alumbrado had found means to escape
from his prison. It was believed Oliv*rez had bribed the gaoler by a
large sum to suffer him to liberate himself, which appeared to me very
probable, as the latter could be found no where, and very likely had
joined the villain in his flight, who, however, as it is to be wished
for the best of human kind, will not escape the punishment due to his
crimes*.
[* He did not escape the vengeance of Heaven if, as I have reason to
suppose, Alumbrado is the same person with Vi*o*va. The latter fled
from Port**al to Spa*n, deceived the Minister through his pretended
occult knowledge, and continued to be connected with him after he
had been removed from the helm of government. However, a journey
which Alumbrado made to Tol**o, where he attempted to play off his
magical delusions, brought on his destruction; he was seized by the
officers of the Inquisition, and executed as a heretic and sorcerer.
Oli*arez too was arrested by the Inquisition, when that ruthless
tribunal was informed of his connection with the villainous
Alumbrado: his relations are, however, believed to have dispatched
him by poison, in order to spare him the disgrace of a public
execution.