Bracebridge Hall, or The HumoristsIrving, Washington
General
Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists
Irving, Washington
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; National characteristics, English -- Fiction
In truth, such visitations would be too happy for this world; they
would be incompatible with the nature of this imperfect state of
being. We are here placed in a mere scene of spiritual thraldom and
restraint. Our souls are shut in and limited by bounds and barriers;
shackled by mortal infirmities, and subject to all the gross
impediments of matter. In vain would they seek to act independently of
the body, and to mingle together in spiritual intercourse. They can
only act here through their fleshy organs. Their earthly loves are
made up of transient embraces and long separations. The most intimate
friendship, of what brief and scattered portions of time does it
consist! We take each other by the hand, and we exchange a few words
and looks of kindness, and we rejoice together for a few short
moments-and then days, months, years intervene, and we see and know
nothing of each other. Or, granting that we dwell together for the
full season of this our mortal life, the grave soon closes its gates
between us, and then our spirits are doomed to remain in separation
and widowhood; until they meet again in that more perfect state of
being, where soul will dwell with soul in blissful communion, and
there will be neither death, nor absence, nor any thing else to
interrupt our felicity.
* * * * *
In the foregoing paper, I have alluded to the writings of some of the
old Jewish rabbis. They abound with wild theories; but among them are
many truly poetical flights; and their ideas are often very
beautifully expressed. Their speculations on the nature of angels are
curious and fanciful, though much resembling the doctrines of the
ancient philosophers. In the writings of the Rabbi Eleazer is an
account of the temptation of our first parents, and the fall of the
angels, which the parson pointed out to me as having probably
furnished some of the groundwork for "Paradise Lost."
According to Eleazer, the ministering angels said to the Deity, "What
is there in man, that thou makest him of such importance? Is he any
thing else than vanity? for he can scarcely reason a little on
terrestrial things." To which God replied, "Do you imagine that I will
be exalted and glorified only by you here above? I am the same below
that I am here. Who is there among you that can call all the creatures
by their names?" There was none found among them that could do so. At
that moment Adam arose, and called all the creatures by their names.
Seeing which, the ministering angels said among themselves, "Let us
consult together how we may cause Adam to sin against the Creator,
otherwise he will not fail to become our master."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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