Desirefornovelty-Livesofthelawless-Countenances-Oldyeomananddame-Welivenearthesea-Uncouth-lookingvolume-
Theothercondition-Draoitheac-Adilemma-TheAntinomian-
LodowickMuggleton-Almostblind-AndersVedel。
BUTtoproceedwithmyownstory：Inowceasedallatoncetotakemuchpleasureinthepursuitswhichformerlyinterestedme，I
yawnedoverAbGwilym，evenasInowinmymind’seyeperceivethereaderyawningoverthepresentpages。Whatwasthecauseofthis？
Constitutionallassitude，oradesirefornovelty？Bothitisprobablehadsomeinfluenceinthematter，butIratherthinkthatthelatterfeelingwaspredominant。Thepartingwordsofmybrotherhadsunkintomymind。Hehadtalkedoftravellinginstrangeregionsandseeingstrangeandwonderfulobjects，andmyimaginationfelltowork，anddrewpicturesofadventureswildandfantastic，andIthoughtwhatafinethingitmustbetotravel，andIwishedthatmyfatherwouldgivemehisblessing，andthesamesumthathehadgivenmybrother，andbidmegoforthintotheworld；alwaysforgettingthatIhadneithertalentsnorenergiesatthisperiodwhichwouldenablemetomakeanysuccessfulfigureonitsstage。
AndthenIagainsoughtupthebookwhichhadsocaptivatedmeinmyinfancy，andIreaditthrough；andIsoughtupothersofasimilarcharacter，andinseekingforthemImetbooksalsoofadventure，butbynomeansofaharmlessdescription，livesofwickedandlawlessmen，MurrayandLatroon-booksofsingularpower，butofcoarseandprurientimagination-booksatonetimehighlyinvogue；nowdeservedlyforgotten，andmostdifficulttobefound。
AndwhenIhadgonethroughthesebooks，whatwasmystateofmind？
Ihadderivedentertainmentfromtheirperusal，buttheyleftmemorelistlessandunsettledthanbefore，andreallyknewnotwhattodotopassmytime。Myphilologicalstudieshadbecomedistasteful，andIhadnevertakenanypleasureinthedutiesofmyprofession。Isatbehindmydeskinastateoftorpor，mymindalmostasblankasthepaperbeforeme，onwhichIrarelytracedaline。Itwasalwaysarelieftohearthebellring，asitaffordedmeanopportunityofdoingsomethingwhichIwasyetcapableofdoing，toriseandopenthedoorandstareinthecountenancesofthevisitors。AllofasuddenIfelltostudyingcountenances，andsoonflatteredmyselfthatIhadmadeconsiderableprogressinthescience。
’Thereisnofaithincountenances，’saidsomeRomanofold；’trustanythingbutaperson’scountenance。’’Nottrustaman’scountenance？’saysomemoderns，’why，itistheonlythinginmanypeoplethatwecantrust；onwhichaccounttheykeepitmostassiduouslyoutoftheway。Trustnotaman’swordsifyouplease，oryoumaycometoveryerroneousconclusions；butatalltimesplaceimplicitconfidenceinaman’scountenance，inwhichthereisnodeceit；andofnecessitytherecanbenone。Ifpeoplewouldbutlookeachothermoreintheface，weshouldhavelesscausetocomplainofthedeceptionoftheworld；nothingsoeasyasphysiognomynorsouseful。’SomewhatinthislatterstrainI
thoughtatthetimeofwhichIamspeaking。Iamnowolder，and，letushope，lesspresumptuous。ItistruethatinthecourseofmylifeIhavescarcelyeverhadoccasiontorepentplacingconfidenceinindividualswhosecountenanceshaveprepossessedmeintheirfavour；thoughtohowmanyImayhavebeenunjust，fromwhosecountenancesImayhavedrawnunfavourableconclusions，isanothermatter。
ButithadbeendecreedbythatFatewhichgovernsoureveryactionthatIwassoontoreturntomyoldpursuits。ItwaswrittenthatIshouldnotyetceasetobeLav-engro，thoughIhadbecome，inmyownopinion，akindofLavater。Itissingularenoughthatmyrenewedardourforphilologyseemstohavebeenbroughtaboutindirectlybymyphysiognomicalresearches，inwhichhadInotindulged，theeventwhichIamabouttorelate，asfarasconnectedwithmyself，mightneverhaveoccurred。AmongstthevariouscountenanceswhichIadmittedduringtheperiodofmyansweringthebell，thereweretwowhichparticularlypleasedme，andwhichbelongedtoanelderlyyeomanandhiswife，whomsomelittlebusinesshadbroughttoourlawsanctuary。Ibelievetheyexperiencedfrommesomekindnessandattention，whichwontheoldpeople’shearts。So，oneday，whentheirlittlebusinesshadbeenbroughttoaconclusion，andtheychancedtobealonewithme，whowasseatedasusualbehindthedealdeskintheouterroom，theoldmanwithsomeconfusionbegantotellmehowgratefulhimselfanddamefeltforthemanyattentionsIhadshownthem，andhowdesiroustheyweretomakemesomeremuneration。’Ofcourse，’saidtheoldman，’wemustbecautiouswhatweoffertosofineayounggentlemanasyourself；wehave，however，somethingwethinkwilljustsuittheoccasion，astrangekindofthingwhichpeoplesayisabook，thoughnoonethatmydameormyselfhaveshownittocanmakeanythingoutofit；soaswearetoldthatyouareafineyounggentleman，whocanreadallthetonguesoftheearthandstars，astheBiblesays，wethought，Iandmydame，thatitwouldbejustthethingyouwouldlikeandmydamehasitnowatthebottomofherbasket。’
’Abook!’saidI，’howdidyoucomebyit？’
’Welivenearthesea，’saidtheoldman；’sonearthatsometimesourthatchiswetwiththespray；anditmaynowbeayearagothattherewasafearfulstorm，andashipwasdrivenashoreduringthenight，anderethemornwasacompletewreck。Whenwegotupatdaylight，therewerethepoorshiveringcrewatourdoor；theywereforeigners，red-hairedmen，whosespeechwedidnotunderstand；butwetookthemin，andwarmedthem，andtheyremainedwithusthreedays；andwhentheywentawaytheyleftbehindthemthisthing，hereitis，partofthecontentsofaboxwhichwaswashedashore。’
’Anddidyoulearnwhotheywere？’
’Why，yes；theymadeusunderstandthattheywereDanes。’
Danes!thoughtI，Danes!andinstantaneously，hugeandgrisly，appearedtoriseupbeforemyvisiontheskulloftheoldpirateDane，evenasIhadseenitofyoreinthepent-houseoftheancientchurchtowhich，withmymotherandmybrother，Ihadwanderedonthememorablesummereve。
Andnowtheoldmanhandedmethebook；astrangeanduncouth-
lookingvolumeenough。Itwasnotverylarge，butinsteadoftheusualcoveringwasboundinwood，andwascompressedwithstrongironclasps。Itwasaprintedbook，butthepageswerenotofpaper，butvellum，andthecharacterswereblack，andresembledthosegenerallytermedGothic。
’Itiscertainlyacuriousbook，’saidI；’andIshouldliketohaveit，butIcan’tthinkoftakingitasagift，Imustgiveyouanequivalent，Inevertakepresentsfromanybody。’
Theoldmanwhisperedwithhisdameandchuckled，andthenturnedhisfacetome，andsaid，withanotherchuckle，’Well，wehaveagreedabouttheprice，but，maybe，youwillnotconsent。’
’Idon’tknow，’saidI；’whatdoyoudemand？’
’Why，thatyoushakemebythehand，andholdoutyourcheektomyolddame，shehastakenanaffectiontoyou。’
’Ishallbeverygladtoshakeyoubythehand，’saidI，’butasfortheothercondition，itrequiresconsideration。’
’Noconsiderationatall，’saidtheoldman，withsomethinglikeasigh；’shethinksyoulikeherson，ouronlychild，thatwaslosttwentyyearsagointhewavesoftheNorthSea。’
’Oh，thataltersthecasealtogether，’saidI，’andofcourseIcanhavenoobjection。’
AndnowatonceIshookoffmylistlessness，toenablemetodowhichnothingcouldhavehappenedmoreopportunethantheaboveevent。TheDanes，theDanes!AndwasIatlasttobecomeacquainted，andinsosingularamanner，withthespeechofapeoplewhichhadasfarbackasIcouldrememberexercisedthestrongestinfluenceovermyimagination，ashowshouldtheynot!-
ininfancytherewasthesummer-eveadventure，towhichIoftenlookedback，andalwayswithakindofstrangeinterestwithrespecttothosetowhomsuchgiganticandwondrousbonescouldbelongasIhadseenonthatoccasion；and，morethanthis，IhadbeeninIreland，andthere，underpeculiarcircumstances，thissameinterestwasincreasedtenfold。IhadmingledmuchwhilsttherewiththegenuineIrish-awildbutkind-heartedrace，whoseconversationwasdeeplyimbuedwithtraditionarylore，connectedwiththeearlyhistoryoftheirownromanticland，andfromthemI
heardenoughoftheDanes，butnothingcommonplace，fortheynevermentionedthembutintermswhichtalliedwellwithmyownpreconceivedideas。ForatanearlyperiodtheDaneshadinvadedIreland，andhadsubduedit，and，thougheventuallydrivenout，hadleftbehindthemanenduringremembranceinthemindsofthepeople，wholovedtospeakoftheirstrengthandtheirstature，inevidenceofwhichtheywouldpointtotheancientrathsormoundswheretheoldDaneswereburied，andwherebonesofextraordinarysizewereoccasionallyexhumed。AndastheDanessurpassedotherpeopleinstrength，so，accordingtomynarrators，theyalsoexcelledallothersinwisdom，orratherinDraoitheac，ormagic，fortheywerepowerfulsorcerers，theysaid，comparedwithwhomthefairymenofthepresentdayknewnothingatall，atall；and，amongstotherwonderfulthings，theyknewhowtomakestrongbeerfromtheheatherthatgrowsuponthebogs。Littlewonderiftheinterest，themysteriousinterest，whichIhadearlyfeltabouttheDanes，wasincreasedtenfoldbymysojourninIreland。
AndnowIhadinmypossessionaDanishbook，which，fromitsappearance，mightbesupposedtohavebelongedtotheveryoldDanesindeed；buthowwasItoturnittoanyaccount？Ihadthebook，itistrue，butIdidnotunderstandthelanguage，andhowwasItoovercomethatdifficulty？hardlybyporingoverthebook；
yetIdidporeoverthebook，dailyandnightly，tillmyeyesweredim，anditappearedtomethateverynowandthenIencounteredwordswhichIunderstood-Englishwords，thoughstrangelydisguised；andIsaidtomyself，Courage!EnglishandDanisharecognatedialects，atimewillcomewhenIshallunderstandthisDanish；andthenIporedoverthebookagain，butwithallmyporingIcouldnotunderstandit；andthenIbecameangry，andI
bitmylipstillthebloodcame；andIoccasionallytoreahandfulfrommyhair，andflungituponthefloor，butthatdidnotmendthematter，forstillIdidnotunderstandthebook，which，however，Ibegantoseewaswritteninrhyme-acircumstanceratherdifficulttodiscoveratfirst，thearrangementofthelinesnotdifferingfromthatwhichisemployedinprose；anditsbeingwritteninrhymemademeonlythemoreeagertounderstandit。
ButItoiledinvain，forIhadneithergrammarnordictionaryofthelanguage；andwhenIsoughtforthemcouldprocureneither；andIwasmuchdispirited，tillsuddenlyabrightthoughtcameintomyhead，andIsaid，althoughIcannotobtainadictionaryorgrammar，IcanperhapsobtainaBibleinthislanguage，andifIcanprocureaBible，Icanlearnthelanguage，fortheBibleineverytonguecontainsthesamething，andIhaveonlytocomparethewordsoftheDanishBiblewiththoseoftheEnglish，and，ifIpersevere，I
shallintimeacquirethelanguageoftheDanes；andIwaspleasedwiththethought，whichIconsideredtobeabrightone，andInolongerbitmylips，ortoremyhair，butItookmyhat，and，goingforth，Iflungmyhatintotheair。
Andwhenmyhatcamedown，Iputitonmyheadandcommencedrunning，directingmycoursetothehouseoftheAntinomianpreacher，whosoldbooks，andwhomIknewtohaveBiblesinvarioustonguesamongstthenumber，andIarrivedoutofbreath，andI