One day this lovely spirit--whose name as she told me was Fantasia came to me in one of her consolotary moods--her wings which seemed coloured by her tone of mind were not gay but beautiful like that of the partridge & her lovely eyes although they ever burned with an unquenshable fire were shaded & softened by her heavy lids & the black long fringe of her eye lashes--She thus addressed me--You mourn for the loss of those you love. They are gone for ever & great as my power is I cannot recall them to you--if indeed I wave my wand over you you will fancy that you feel their gentle spirits in the soft air that steals over your cheeks & the distant sound of winds & waters may image to you their voices which will bid you rejoice for that they live--This will not take away your grief but you will shed sweeter tears than those which full of anguish & hopelessness now start from your eyes--This I can do & also can I take you to see many of my provinces my fairy lands which you have not yet visited and whose beauty will while away the heavy time--I have many lovely spots under my command which poets of old have visited and have seen those sights the relation of which has been as a revelation to the world--many spots I have still in keeping of lovely fields or horrid rocks peopled by the beautiful or the tremendous which I keep in reserve for my future worshippers--to one of those whose grim terrors frightened sleep from the eye I formerly led you[91] but you now need more pleasing images & although I will not promise you to shew you any new scenes yet if I lead you to one often visited by my followers you will at least see new combinations that will sooth if they do not delight you--Follow me-- Alas! I replied--when have you found me slow to obey your voice--some times indeed I have called you & you have not come--but when before have I not followed your slightest sign and have left what was either of joy or sorrow in our world to dwell with you in yours till you have dismissed me ever unwilling to depart--But now the weight of grief that oppresses me takes from me that lightness which is necessary to follow your quick & winged motions alas in the midst of my course one thought would make me droop to the ground while you would outspeed me to your Kingdom of Glory & leave me here darkling Ungrateful! replied the Spirit Do I not tell you that I will sustain & console you My wings shall aid your heavy steps & I will command my winds to disperse the mist that over casts you--I will lead you to a place where you will not hear laughter that disturbs you or see the sun that dazzles you--We will choose some of the most sombre walks of the Elysian fields--