On the fifth day of the moon, which, according to the custom of my
forefathers, I always keep holy, after having offered up my morning
devotions, I ascended to the high hills of Bagdad, in order to pass the
rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing myself on
the tops of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the
vanity of human life; and passing from one thought to another, “Surely,”
said I, “man is but a shadow, and life a dream.” Whilst I was thus
musing, I cast my eyes towards the summit of a rock that was not far
from me, where I discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, with a
little musical instrument in his hand. As I looked upon him, he applied
it to his lips, and began to play upon it. The sound of it was exceeding
sweet, and wrought into a variety of tunes that were inexpressibly
melodious, and altogether different from anything I had ever heard. My
heart melted away in secret raptures.
[Illustration: JOSEPH ADDISON]
I had been often told that the rock before me was the haunt of a genius,
and that several had been entertained with that music who had passed by
it, but never heard that the musician had before made himself visible.
When he had raised my thoughts by those transporting airs which he
played to taste the pleasures of his conversation, as I looked upon him
like one astonished, he beckoned to me, and by the waving of his hand,
directed me to approach to the place where he sat. I drew near with that
reverence which is due to a superior nature; and as my heart was
entirely subdued by the captivating strains I had heard, I fell down at
his feet and wept. The genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion
that familiarized him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all the
fears with which I approached him. He lifted me from the ground, and
taking me by the hand, “Mirza,” said he, “I have heard thee in thy
soliloquies; follow me.”
He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and placing me on
the top of it. “Cast thy eyes eastward,” said he, “and tell me what thou
seest.”--“I see,” said I, “a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of water
rolling through it.” “The valley that thou seest,” said he, “is the vale
of Misery; and the tide of water that thou seest is part of the great
tide of Eternity.” “What is the reason,” said I, “that the tide I see
rises out of a thick mist at one end, and again loses itself in a thick
mist at the other?” “What thou seest,” said he, “is that portion of
Eternity which is called Time, measured out by the sun, and reaching
from the beginning of the world to its consummation.”
“Examine now,” said he, “this sea that is bounded with darkness at both
ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it.” “I see a bridge,” said
I, “standing in the midst of the tide.” “The bridge thou seest,” said
he, “is Human life; consider it attentively.” Upon a more leisurely
survey of it, I found that it consisted of threescore and ten entire
arches, with several broken arches, which, added to those that were
entire, made up the number to about an hundred. As I was counting the
arches, the genius told me that this bridge first consisted of a
thousand arches; but that a great flood swept away the rest, and left
the bridge in the ruinous condition I now beheld it.
“But tell me further,” said he, “what thou discoverest on it.” “I see
multitudes of people passing over it,” said I, “and a black cloud
hanging on each end of it.” As I looked more attentively, I saw several
of the passengers dropping through the bridge into the great tide that
flowed underneath it; and upon further examination, perceived there were
innumerable trap-doors that lay concealed in the bridge, which the
passengers no sooner trod upon but they fell through them into the tide,
and immediately disappeared. These hidden pitfalls were set very thick
at the entrance of the bridge, so that throngs of people no sooner broke
through the cloud but many of them fell into them. They grew thinner
towards the middle, but multiplied and lay closer together towards the
end of the arches that were entire. There were, indeed, some persons,
but their number was very small, that continued a kind of hobbling march
on the broken arches, but fell through, one after another, being quite
tired and spent with so long a walk.
I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful structure,
and the great variety of objects which it presented. My heart was filled
with a deep melancholy, to see several dropping unexpectedly in the
midst of mirth and jollity, and catching at everything that stood by
them to save themselves; some were looking up towards the heavens in a
thoughtful posture, and in the midst of a speculation stumbled and fell
out of sight; multitudes were busy in the pursuit of bubbles, that
glittered in their eyes, and danced before them, but often when they
thought themselves within the reach of them, their footing failed, and
down they sank. In this confusion of objects I observed some with
scimiters in their hands, who ran to and fro upon the bridge, thrusting
several persons upon trap-doors which did not seem to lie in their way,
and which they might have escaped had they not been thus forced upon
them.
The genius seeing me indulge myself in this melancholy prospect, told me
I had dwelt long enough upon it. “Take thine eyes off the bridge,” said
he, “and tell me if thou seest any thing that thou dost not comprehend.”
Upon looking up, “What mean,” said I, “those great flocks of birds that
are perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling upon it from
time to time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, cormorants, and, among
many other feathered creatures, several little winged boys, that perch
in great numbers upon the middle arches.” “These,” said the genius, “are
Envy, Avarice, Superstition, Despair, Love, with the like cares and
passions that infest human life.”
I here fetched a deep sigh: “Alas,” said I, “man was made in vain! how
is he given away to misery and mortality, tortured in life, and
swallowed up in death!” The genius being moved with compassion towards
me, bid me quit so uncomfortable a prospect. “Look no more,” said he,
“on man in the first stage of his existence, in his setting out for
eternity, but cast thine eye on that thick mist into which the tide
bears the several generations of mortals that fall into it.” I directed
my sight as I was ordered, and I saw the valley opening at the farther
end, and spreading into an immense ocean, that had a huge rock of
adamant running through the midst of it, and dividing it into two equal
parts. The clouds still rested on one half of it, insomuch that I could
discover nothing in it; but the other appeared to me a vast ocean,
planted with innumerable islands that were covered with fruits and
flowers, and interwoven with a thousand little shining seas that rang
among them. I could see persons dressed in glorious habits, with
garlands upon their heads, passing among the trees, lying down by the
side of fountains, or resting on beds of flowers, and could hear a
confused harmony of singing birds, falling waters, human voices, and
musical instruments.
Gladness grew in me at the discovery of so delightful a scene. I wished
for the wings of an eagle, that I might fly away to those happy seats;
but the genius told me there was no passage to them, except through the
gates of death that I saw opening every moment upon the bridge. “The
islands,” said he, “that lie so fresh and green before thee, and with
which the whole face of the ocean appears spotted, as far as thou canst
see, are more in number than the sand on the sea-shore: there are
myriads of islands behind those which thou here discoverest, reaching
farther than thine eye, or even thine imagination, can extend itself.
These are the mansions of good men after death, who, according to the
degree and kinds of virtue in which they excelled, are distributed among
these several islands, which abound with pleasures of different kinds
and degrees, suitable to the relishes and perfections of those who are
settled in them; every island is a paradise, accommodated to its
respective inhabitants. Are not these, O Mirza, habitations worth
contending for? Does life appear miserable, that gives thee
opportunities of earning such a reward? Is death to be feared, that will
convey thee to so happy an existence? Think not man was made in vain,
who has such an eternity reserved for him.”
I gazed with inexpressible pleasure on these happy islands. At length
said I, “Show me now, I beseech thee, the secrets that lie hid under
those dark clouds which cover the ocean, on the other side of the rock
of adamant.” The genius making me no answer, I turned about to address
myself to him a second time, but I found he had left me. I then turned
again to the vision I had been so long contemplating; but instead of the
rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the happy islands, I saw nothing
but the long, hollow valley of Bagdad, with oxen, sheep, and camels
grazing upon the sides of it.--JOSEPH ADDISON.