which he gazed, and which had occasioned them, suddenly vanished.
The rustling of the leaves had aroused him from his slumber, and
behold! all had been but a dream. Rubbing his eyes and collecting
his wandering thoughts, the only realities that greeted his returning
senses were the hot sun above him, whose burning rays, no longer
arrested by the shadow, which had gradually moved in another direction,
had for some time been illuminating his countenance, and the unpleasant
recollection that the village and his home were still several
miles distant. To have his dreamy fancies thus dispelled by such a
disagreeable transition, at some other time, might have urged him to
the exhibition of no little ill-temper; but now he had enough to occupy
his mind in reflecting upon the diversified visions of his dream. These
he reviewed again and again, until unable to submit any longer to
that itching desire which so often disturbs the ease of poor mortals
when they imagine they have something interesting to communicate, he
arose and slowly commenced the exceeding great labor of walking to the
village. He reached it at last, just as the sun was sinking into the
far west, and panting from the heat, more than from the exertion, he
again seated himself in front of the tavern. He had added greatly to
his store, and at once commenced to detail the events of his dream, and
from that day to this he has faithfully continued to narrate them to
every willing or unwilling listener.
M. H.
CONCLUSION.
Although the editor cannot see the least necessity for informing the
readers of the “Records” that they have now reached the end of his
book, (a fact which they would so certainly have discovered without his
aid,) his reverence for well-established precedents would not permit
him to consider his volume fully completed without a “Conclusion.”
Those who have thus far perused it, must have observed that the
papers it contains were the products of intervals of time stolen from
the regular pursuits of their authors. This, however, though it may
be somewhat of an apology for the imperfections of the manuscripts
themselves, can afford no excuse for the editor. He fully acknowledges
his responsibility for all the faults of the book, well knowing that he
cannot be justified in thrusting it before a public already so terribly
afflicted with the dregs of literature, unless it shall contain
something to amuse or instruct. This reflection, at one time, overcame
his determination to send the manuscripts to the publisher. Upon more
mature deliberation, however, he blundered upon the conclusion, that
if this be not, in fact, the age of literary mediocrity, our people
have so much indulged it that it has, in its bold effrontery, risen
to a premium and obtained greater “success” (to use a publisher’s
term,) than ever crowned the highest talent. Where brave men had
failed, the coward often succeeded, and thus infused a boisterous and
overflowing courage into the whole army of little patriots, making
them as presumptuous and pugilistic as the saucy cur which thinks the
honor lies in attacking its superiors rather than in conquering them.
A similar cause, it may be, has produced like effects amongst authors,
and the editor is by no means certain that it has not been instrumental
in emboldening him to send his volume forth upon its voyage. However
this may be, he can now only bespeak for it the treatment which the
reader may think it deserves--nothing more. He might perhaps have made
better selections from the stock on hand, but he is not certain that
this would have added to the attractions of the book. He can only
promise, that upon the success of this volume of the Records, depends
the fate of the rest--whether they shall be given to the world, or
remain in the murky receptacles of the Old Association.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Note
In a few cases, obvious errors in punctuation have been corrected.
Page 29: “and especialy with such” changed to “and especially with
such” “Impelled by an irresistable” changed to “Impelled by an
irresistible”
Page 46: “by the irresistable teachings” changed to “by the
irresistible teachings”
Page 50: “and Montagne observes” changed to “and Montaigne observes”
Page 86: “fully ackowledged the devil” changed to “fully acknowledged
the devil”
Page 96: “we rightly understaud” changed to “we rightly understand”
Page 104: “of their native cotemporaries” changed to “of their native
contemporaries”
Page 155: “nor cooly exchange” changed to “nor coolly exchange”