grandfatheronthemalesidewasasilkmercer，inCheapside，who，whenhedied，lefthisson，whowashisonlychild，afortuneofonehundredthousandpoundsandasplendidbusiness；theson，however，hadnoinclinationfortrade，thesummitofhisambitionwastobeacountrygentleman，tofoundafamily，andtopasstheremainderofhisdaysinruraleaseanddignity，andallthishemanagedtoaccomplish；hedisposedofhisbusiness，purchasedabeautifulandextensiveestateforfourscorethousandpounds，builtuponitthemansiontowhichIhadthehonourofwelcomingyouto-
day，marriedthedaughterofaneighbouringsquire，whobroughthimafortuneoffivethousandpounds，becameamagistrate，andonlywantedasonandheirtomakehimcompletelyhappy；thisblessing，itistrue，wasforalongtimedeniedhim；itcame，however，atlast，asisusual，whenleastexpected。Hisladywasbroughttobedofmyfather，andthenwhosohappyamanasmygrandsire；hegaveawaytwothousandpoundsincharities，andinthejoyofhisheartmadeaspeechatthenextquartersessions；therestofhislifewasspentinease，tranquillity，andruraldignity；hediedofapoplexyonthedaythatmyfathercameofage；perhapsitwouldbedifficulttomentionamanwhoinallrespectswassofortunateasmygrandfather：hisdeathwassuddenitistrue，butIamnotoneofthosewhopraytobedeliveredfromasuddendeath。
’Ishouldnotcallmyfatherafortunateman；itistruethathehadtheadvantageofafirst-rateeducation；thathemadethegrandtourwithaprivatetutor，aswasthefashionatthattime；thathecametoasplendidfortuneontheverydaythathecameofage；
thatformanyyearshetastedallthediversionsofthecapitalthat，atlastdeterminedtosettle，hemarriedthesisterofabaronet，anamiableandaccomplishedlady，withalargefortune；
thathehadthebeststudofhuntersinthecounty，onwhich，duringtheseason，hefollowedthefoxgallantly；hadhebeenafortunatemanhewouldneverhavecursedhisfate，ashewasfrequentlyknowntodo；tenmonthsafterhismarriagehishorsefelluponhim，andsoinjuredhim，thatheexpiredinafewdaysingreatagony。Mygrandfatherwas，indeed，afortunateman；whenhediedhewasfollowedtothegravebythetearsofthepoor-myfatherwasnot。
’Tworemarkablecircumstancesareconnectedwithmybirth-Iamaposthumouschild，andcameintotheworldsomeweeksbeforetheusualtime，theshockwhichmymotherexperiencedatmyfather’sdeathhavingbroughtonthepangsofprematurelabour；bothmymother’slifeandmyownwereatfirstdespairedof；weboth，however，survivedthecrisis。Mymotherlovedmewiththemostpassionatefondness，andIwasbroughtupinthishouseunderherowneye-Iwasneversenttoschool。
’Ihavealreadytoldyouthatmineisnotataleofadventure；mylifehasnotbeenoneofaction，butofwildimaginingsandstrangesensations；Iwasbornwithexcessivesensibility，andthathasbeenmybane。Ihavenotbeenafortunateman。
’Nooneisfortunateunlessheishappy，anditisimpossibleforabeingconstructedlikemyselftobehappyforanhour，orevenenjoypeaceandtranquillity；mostofourpleasuresandpainsaretheeffectsofimagination，andwhereverthesensibilityisgreat，theimaginationisgreatalso。Nosoonerhasmyimaginationraisedupanimageofpleasure，thanitissuretoconjureuponeofdistressandgloom；thesetwoantagonistideasinstantlycommenceastruggleinmymind，andthegloomyonegenerally，Imaysayinvariably，prevails。HowisitpossiblethatIshouldbeahappyman？
’IthasinvariablybeensowithmefromtheearliestperiodthatI
canremember；thefirstplaythingsthatweregivenmecausedmeforafewminutesexcessivepleasure：theywereprettyandglittering；
presently，however，Ibecameanxiousandperplexed，Iwishedtoknowtheirhistory，howtheyweremade，andwhatof-werethematerialsprecious？Iwasnotsatisfiedwiththeiroutwardappearance。InlessthananhourIhadbrokentheplaythingsinanattempttodiscoverwhattheyweremadeof。
’WhenIwaseightyearsofagemyunclethebaronet，whowasalsomygodfather，sentmeapairofNorwayhawks，withdirectionsformanagingthem；hewasagreatfowler。Oh，howrejoicedwasIwiththepresentwhichhadbeenmademe，myjoylastedforatleastfiveminutes；Iwouldletthembreed，Iwouldhaveahouseofhawks；
yes，thatIwould-but-andherecametheunpleasantidea-
supposetheyweretoflyaway，howveryannoying!Ah，but，saidhope，there’slittlefearofthat；feedthemwellandtheywillneverflyaway，oriftheydotheywillcomeback，myunclesaysso；sosunshinetriumphedforalittletime。Thenthestrangestofalldoubtscameintomyhead；Idoubtedthelegalityofmytenureofthesehawks；howdidIcomebythem？why，myunclegavethemtome，buthowdidtheycomeintohispossession？whatrighthadhetothem？afterall，theymightnotbehistogive。Ipassedasleeplessnight。ThenextmorningIfoundthatthemanwhobroughtthehawkshadnotdeparted。“Howcamemyunclebythesehawks？“I
anxiouslyinquired。“TheyweresenttohimfromNorway，master，withanotherpair。““Andwhosentthem？““ThatIdon’tknow，master，butIsupposehishonourcantellyou。“Iwaseventhinkingofscrawlingalettertomyuncletomakeinquiryonthispoint，butshamerestrainedme，andIlikewisereflectedthatitwouldbeimpossibleforhimtogivemymindentiresatisfaction；itistruehecouldtellwhosenthimthehawks，buthowwashetoknowhowthehawkscameintothepossessionofthosewhosentthemtohim，andbywhatrighttheypossessedthemortheparentsofthehawks？Inaword，Iwantedaclearvalidtitle，aslawyerswouldsay，tomyhawks，andIbelievenotitlewouldhavesatisfiedmethatdidnotextenduptothetimeofthefirsthawk，thatis，priortoAdam；and，couldIhaveobtainedsuchatitle，Imakenodoubtthat，youngasIwas，Ishouldhavesuspectedthatitwasfullofflaws。
’Iwasnowdisgustedwiththehawks，andnowonder，seeingallthedisquietudetheyhadcausedme；Isoontotallyneglectedthepoorbirds，andtheywouldhavestarvedhadnotsomeoftheservantstakencompassionuponthemandfedthem。Myuncle，soonhearingofmyneglect，wasangry，andtookthebirdsaway；hewasaverygood-
naturedman，however，andsoonsentmeafinepony；atfirstIwascharmedwiththepony，soon，however，thesamekindofthoughtsarosewhichhaddisgustedmeonaformeroccasion。Howdidmyunclebecomepossessedofthepony？ThisquestionIaskedhimthefirsttimeIsawhim。Oh，hehadboughtitofagypsy，thatI
mightlearntorideuponit。Agypsy；Ihadheardthatgypsiesweregreatthieves，andIinstantlybegantofearthatthegypsyhadstolenthepony，anditisprobablethatforthisapprehensionIhadbettergroundsthanformanyothers。Iinstantlyceasedtosetanyvalueuponthepony，butforthatreason，perhaps，Iturnedittosomeaccount；Imounteditandrodeitabout，whichIdon’tthinkIshouldhavedonehadIlookeduponitasasecurepossession。HadIlookeduponmytitleassecure，Ishouldhaveprizeditsomuch，thatIshouldscarcelyhavemounteditforfearofinjuringtheanimal；butnow，caringnotastrawforit，Irodeitmostunmercifully，andsoonbecameacapitalrider。Thiswasveryselfishinme，andItellthefactwithshame。Iwaspunished，however，asIdeserved；theponyhadaspiritofitsown，and，moreover，ithadbelongedtogypsies；once，asIwasridingitfuriouslyoverthelawn，applyingbothwhipandspur，itsuddenlyliftedupitsheels，andflungmeatleastfiveyardsoveritshead。Ireceivedsomedesperatecontusions，andwastakenupfordead；itwasmanymonthsbeforeIperfectlyrecovered。
’Butitistimeformetocometothetouchingpartofmystory。
TherewasonethingthatIlovedbetterthanthechoicestgiftwhichcouldbebestoweduponme，betterthanlifeitself-mymother；-atlengthshebecameunwell，andthethoughtthatImightpossiblylosehernowrushedintomymindforthefirsttime；itwasterrible，andcausedmeunspeakablemisery，Imaysayhorror。
Mymotherbecameworse，andIwasnotallowedtoenterherapartment，lestbymyfranticexclamationsofgriefImightaggravateherdisorder。Irestedneitherdaynornight，butroamedaboutthehouselikeonedistracted。SuddenlyIfoundmyselfdoingthatwhichevenatthetimestruckmeasbeinghighlysingular；I
foundmyselftouchingparticularobjectsthatwerenearme，andtowhichmyfingersseemedtobeattractedbyanirresistibleimpulse。
ItwasnowthetableorthechairthatIwascompelledtotouch；
nowthebell-rope；nowthehandleofthedoor；nowIwouldtouchthewall，andthenextmoment，stoopingdown，Iwouldplacethepointofmyfingeruponthefloor：andsoIcontinuedtododayafterday；frequentlyIwouldstruggletoresisttheimpulse，butinvariablyinvain。Ihaveevenrushedawayfromtheobject，butI
wassuretoreturn，theimpulsewastoostrongtoberesisted：I
quicklyhurriedback，compelledbythefeelingwithinmetotouchtheobject。NowIneednottellyouthatwhatimpelledmetotheseactionswasthedesiretopreventmymother’sdeath；wheneverI
touchedanyparticularobject，itwaswiththeviewofbafflingtheevilchance，asyouwouldcallit-inthisinstancemymother’sdeath。
’Afavourablecrisisoccurredinmymother’scomplaint，andsherecovered；thiscrisistookplaceaboutsixo’clockinthemorning；
almostsimultaneouslywithittherehappenedtomyselfaratherremarkablecircumstanceconnectedwiththenervousfeelingwhichwasriotinginmysystem。Iwaslyinginbedinakindofuneasydoze，theonlykindofrestwhichmyanxietyonaccountofmymotherpermittedmeatthistimetotake，whenallatonceIsprangupasifelectrified；themysteriousimpulsewasuponme，anditurgedmetogowithoutdelay，andclimbastatelyelmbehindthehouse，andtouchthetopmostbranch；otherwise-youknowtherest-theevilchancewouldprevail。AccustomedforsometimeasIhadbeen，underthisimpulse，toperformextravagantactions，Iconfesstoyouthatthedifficultyandperilofsuchafeatstartledme；I
reasonedagainstthefeeling，andstrovemorestrenuouslythanI
hadeverdonebefore；Ievenmadeasolemnvownottogivewaytothetemptation，butIbelievenothinglessthanchains，andthosestrongones，couldhaverestrainedme。Thedemoniacinfluence，forIcancallitnothingelse，atlengthprevailed；itcompelledmetorise，todressmyself，todescendthestairs，tounboltthedoor，andtogoforth；itdrovemetothefootofthetree，anditcompelledmetoclimbthetrunk；thiswasatremendoustask，andI
onlyaccomplisheditafterrepeatedfallsandtrials。WhenIhadgotamongstthebranches，Irestedforatime，andthensetaboutaccomplishingtheremainderoftheascent；thisforsometimewasnotsodifficult，forIwasnowamongstthebranches；asI