XIV. -- THAT WE SHOULD RISE WITH THE LARK

Atwhatpreciseminutethatlittleairymusiciandoffshisnightgear,preparestotuneuphisunseasonablematins,wearenotnaturalistsenoughtodetermine.Butforamerehumangentleman——thathasnoorchestrabusinesstocallhimfromhiswarmbedtosuchpreposterousexercises——wetaketen,orhalfafterten(eleven,ofcourse,duringthisChristmassolstice),tobetheveryearliesthour,atwhichhecanbegintothinkofabandoninghispillow.Tothinkofit,wesay;fortodoitinearnest,requiresanotherhalfhoursgoodconsideration.Notbutthereareprettysun-risings,aswearetold,andsuchlikegawds,abroadintheworld,insummertimeespecially,somehoursbeforewhatwehaveassigned;whichagentlemanmayseeastheysay,onlyforgettingup.But,havingbeentemptedonceortwice,inearlierlife,toassistatthoseceremonies,weconfessourcuriosityabated.Wearenolongerambitiousofbeingthesunscourtiers,toattendathismorninglevees.Weholdthegoodhoursofthedawntoosacredtowastethemuponsuchobservances;whichhaveinthem,besides,somethingPaganandPersic.Tosaytruth,weneveranticipatedourusualhour,orgotupwiththesun(as`tiscalled),togoajourney,oruponafoolishwholedayspleasuring,butwesufferedforitallthelonghoursafterinlistlessnessandheadachs;Natureherselfsufficientlydeclaringhersenseofourpresumption,inaspiringtoregulateourfrailwakingcoursesbythemeasuresofthatcelestialandsleeplesstraveller.Wedenynotthatthereissomethingsprightlyandvigorous,attheoutsetespecially,inthesebreakofdayexcursions.Itisflatteringtoget[p270]thestartofalazyworld;toconquerdeathbyproxyinhisimage.Buttheseedsofsleepandmortalityareinus;andwepayusuallyinstrangequalms,beforenightfalls,thepenaltyoftheunnaturalinversion.Therefore,whilethebusypartofmankindarefasthuddlingontheirclothes,arealreadyupandabouttheiroccupations,contenttohaveswallowedtheirsleepbywholesale;wechosetolingera-bed,anddigestourdreams.Itistheverytimetorebinethewanderingimages,whichnightinaconfusedmasspresented;tosnatchthemfromforgetfulness;toshape,andmouldthem.Somepeoplehavenogoodoftheirdreams.Likefastfeeders,theygulpthemtoogrossly,totastethemcuriously.Welovetochewthecudofaforegonevisiontocollectthescatteredraysofabrighterphantasm,oractoveragain,withfirmernerves,thesaddernocturnaltragedies;todragintoday-lightastrugglingandhalf-vanishingnight-mare;tohandleandexaminetheterrors,ortheairysolaces.Wehavetoomuchrespectforthesespiritualmunications,toletthemgosolightly.Wearenotsostupid,orsocareless,asthatImperialforgetterofhisdreams,thatweshouldneedaseertoremindusoftheformofthem.Theyseemtoustohaveasmuchsignificanceasourwakingconcerns;orrathertoimportusmorenearlyasmorenearlyweapproachbyyearstotheshadowyworldwhitherwearehastening.Wehaveshakenhandswiththeworldsbusiness;wehavedonewithit;wehavedischargedourselfofit.Whyshouldwegetup?wehaveneithersuittosolicit,noraffairstomanage.Thedramahasshutinuponusatthefourthact.Wehavenothingheretoexpect,butinashorttimeasickbed,andadismissal.Wedelighttoanticipatedeathbysuchshadowsasnightaffords.Wearealreadyhalfacquaintedwithghosts.Wewerenevermuchintheworld.Disappointmentearlystruckadarkveilbetweenusanditsdazzlingillusions.Ourspiritsshowedgreybeforeourhairs.Themightychangesoftheworldalreadyappearasbutthevainstuffoutofwhichdramasareposed.Wehaveaskednomoreoflifethanwhatthemimicimagesinplay-housespresentuswith.Eventhosetypeshavewaxedfainter.Ourclockappearstohavestruck.WeareSUPERANNUATED.Inthisdearthofmundanesatisfaction,wecontractpoliticallianceswithshadows.Itisgoodtohavefriendsatcourt.Theabstractedmediaofdreamsseemnoillintroductiontothatspiritualpresence,uponwhich,innolongtime,weexpecttobethrown.Wearetryingtoknowalittleoftheusagesofthatcolony;tolearnthelanguage,andthefacesweshallmeetwiththere,thatwemaybethelessawkwardatourfirstingamongthem.Wewillinglycallaphantomourfellow,asknowingweshallsoonbeoftheirdarkpanionship.[p271]Therefore,wecherishdreams.Wetrytospellinthemthealphabetoftheinvisibleworld;andthinkweknowalready,howitshallbewithus.Thoseuncouthshapes,which,whileweclungtofleshandblood,affrightedus,havebeefamiliar.Wefeelattenuatedintotheirmeagreessences,andhavegiventhehandofhalf-wayapproachtoincorporealbeing.Weoncethoughtlifetobesomething;butithasunaccountablyfallenfromusbeforeitstime.Thereforewechoosetodallywithvisions.Thesunhasnopurposesofourstolightusto.Whyshouldwegetup?