"Thou art much too small a thing, thou every-day, common life, that an immortal being should be inconsolable with regard to _thee_, thou torn and tattered chance-bargain of an existence. Here upon this earth--the ashes of centuries rolled into a sphere, worked into shape and form from vapour by convulsion--the cry of one dreaming in a sorrowful dream--I say, it is a disgrace that the sigh should cease only when the breast which gives it utterance is resolved into its elements, and that the tear should cease to flow only when the eye is closed in death." But moderate this thy sublime transport of indignation and put to thyself this question, "If He, the Infinite one, who, veiled from thy sight, sits surrounded by the gleaming abysses, without bounds save such as Himself creates, were to lay bare to thy sight the immeasurability of infinity, and let Himself be seen of thee as he distributes the suns, the great spirits, the little human hearts, and our days, and a tear or two therein; wouldst thou rise up out of thy dust against Him, and say, 'Almighty, be other than thou art!'" But there is one sorrow which will be forgiven thee, and for which there is recompense; it is sorrow for thy dead. For this sweet sorrow for thy lost ones is, in truth, but another form of consolation; when we long for them, this is but a sadder way of loving them still; and when we think of their departure we shed tears, as well as when we picture to ourselves our happy meeting with them again. And perhaps these tears differ not. CONTINUATION AND CONCLUSION OF CHAPTER VI. THE CHECKED CALICO DRESS--MORE PLEDGES--CHRISTIAN NEGLECT OF THE STUDY OF JUDAISM--A HELPING ARM (OF LEATHER) STRETCHED FORTH FROM THE CLOUDS--THE AUCTION.