Oh，whatacontrastdidO’Connoraffordashelayinalltheabjecthelplessnessofundisguisedterroruponhisdeath-bed，totheproudcomposurewithwhichhehadtakenthefieldthatmorning。Ihadalwaysbeforethoughtofdeathasofaquietsleepstealinggraduallyuponexhaustednature，madewelcomebysuffering，or，atleast，softenedbyresignation；
Ihadneverbeforestoodbythesideofoneuponwhomthehandofdeathhadbeenthussuddenlylaid；Ihadneverseenthetyrantarrayedinhisterrortillthen。
NeverbeforeorsincehaveIseenhorrorsointenselydepicted。ItseemedactuallyasifO’Connor’smindhadbeenunsettledbytheshock；thefewwordsheutteredweremarkedwithalltheincoherenceofdistraction；butitwasnotwordsthatmarkedhisdespairmoststrongly，theappallingandheart-sickeninggroansthatcamefromtheterror-strickenanddyingmanmusthauntmewhileI
live；theexpression，too，ofhopeless，imploringagonywithwhichheturnedhiseyesfromobjecttoobject，Icanneverforget。Atlength，appearingsuddenlytorecollecthimself，hesaid，withstartlingalertness，butinavoicesoalteredthatIscarcecouldrecognisethetones：
’Purcell，Purcell，goandtellmypoormother；shemustknowall，andthen，quick，quick，quick，callyouruncle，bringhimhere；Imusthaveachance。’Hemadeaviolentbutfruitlessefforttorise，andafteraslightpausecontinued，withdeepandurgentsolemnity：’Doctor，howlongshallIlive？Don’tflatterme。
Complimentsatadeath-bedareoutofplace；doctor，forGod’ssake，asyouwouldnothavemysoulperishwithmybody，donotmockadyingman；haveIanhourtolive？’
’Certainly，’repliedthesurgeon；’ifyouwillbutendeavourtokeepyourselftranquil；
otherwiseIcannotanswerforamoment。’
’Well，doctor，’saidthepatient，’Iwillobeyyou；now，Purcell，myfirstanddearestfriend，willyouinformmypoormotherof——ofwhatyousee，andreturnwithyouruncle；Iknowyouwill。’
Itookthedearfellow’shandandkissedit，itwastheonlyanswerIcouldgive，andlefttheroom。IaskedthefirstfemaleservantIchancedtomeet，ifhermistresswereyetup，andwasansweredintheaffirmative。Withoutgivingmyselftimetohesitate，Irequestedhertoleadmetoherlady’sroom，whichsheaccordinglydid；sheenteredfirst，Isupposedtoannouncemyname，andIfollowedclosely；
thepoormothersaidsomething，andheldoutherhandstowelcomeme；Istroveforwords；Icouldnotspeak，butnaturefoundexpression；Ithrewmyselfatherfeetandcoveredherhandswithkissesandtears。Mymannerwasenough；withaquicknessalmostpreternaturalsheunderstooditall；shesimplysaidthewords：
’O’Connoriskilled；’sheutterednomore。
HowIlefttheroomIknownot；I
rodemadlytomyuncle’sresidence，andbroughthimbackwithme——alltherestisablank。IrememberstandingbyO’Connor’sbedside，andkissingthecoldpallidforeheadagainandagain；Irememberthepaleserenityofthebeautifulfeatures；IrememberthatIlookeduponthedeadfaceofmyfriend，andIremembernomore。
FormanymonthsIlaywrithingandravinginthefrenzyofbrainfever；ahundredtimesIstoodtotteringatthebrinkofdeath，andlongaftermyrestorationtobodilyhealthwasassured，itappeareddoubtfulwhetherIshouldeverberestoredtoreason。ButGoddealtverymercifullywithme；Hismightyhandrescuedmefromdeathandfrommadnesswhenoneorotherappearedinevitable。
AssoonasIwaspermittedpenandink，Iwrotetothebereavedmotherinatoneborderinguponfrenzy。Iaccusedmyselfofhavingmadeherchildless；Icalledmyselfamurderer；Ibelievedmyselfaccursed；Icouldnotfindtermsstrongenoughtoexpressmyabhorrenceofmyownconduct。But，oh!whatananswerI
received，somild，sosweet，fromthedesolate，childlessmother!itswordsspokeallthatisbeautifulinChristianity——itwasforgiveness——itwasresignation。Iamconvincedthattothatletter，operatingasitdiduponamindalreadypredisposed，isowingmyfinaldeterminationtodevotemyselftothatprofessioninwhich，formorethanhalfacentury，Ihavebeenahumbleminister。
Yearsrollaway，andwecountthemnotastheypass，buttheirinfluenceisnotthelesscertainthatitissilent；thedeepestwoundsaregraduallyhealed，thekeenestgriefsaremitigated，andwe，incharacter，feelings，tastes，andpursuits，becomesuchalteredbeings，thatbutforsomefewindeliblemarkswhichpasteventsmustleavebehindthem，whichtimemaysoften，butcanneverefface；ourveryidentitywouldbedubious。Whohasnotfeltallthisatonetimeorother？Whohasnotmournfullyfeltit？Thistrite，butnaturaltrainofreflectionfilledmymindasIapproachedthedomainofCastleConnorsometenyearsaftertheoccurrenceoftheeventsabovenarrated。EverythinglookedthesameaswhenIhadleftit；theoldtreesstoodasgracefulandasgrandasever；noploughhadviolatedthesoftgreensward；noutilitarianhandhadconstrainedthewanderingsoftheclearandsportivestream，ordisturbedthelichen-
coveredrocksthroughwhichitgushed，orthewildcoppicethatover-shadoweditssequesterednooks——buttheeyethatlookeduponthesethingswasaltered，andmemorywasbusywithotherdays，shroudinginsadnesseverybeautythatmetmysight。
AsIapproachedthecastlemyemotionsbecamesoacutelypainfulthatIhadalmostreturnedthewayIcame，withoutaccomplishingthepurposeforwhichIhadgonethusfar；andnothingbuttheconvictionthatmyhavingbeenintheneighbourhoodofCastleConnorwithoutvisitingitsdesolatemistresswouldrendermejustlyliabletotheseverestcensure，couldovercomemyreluctancetoencounteringtheheavytaskwhichwasbeforeme。I
recognisedtheoldservantwhoopenedthedoor，buthedidnotknowme。Iwascompletelychanged；sufferingofbodyandmindhadalteredmeinfeatureandinbearing，asmuchasincharacter。Iaskedthemanwhetherhismistresseversawvisitors。Heanswered：
’Butseldom；perhaps，however，ifsheknewthatanoldfriendwishedtoseeherforafewminutes，shewouldgratifyhimsofar。’
AtthesametimeIplacedmycardinhishand，andrequestedhimtodeliverittohismistress。Hereturnedinafewmoments，sayingthathisladywouldbehappytoseemeintheparlour，andI
accordinglyfollowedhimtothedoor，whichheopened。Ienteredtheroom，andwasinamomentatthesideofmyearlyfriendandbenefactress。Iwastoomuchagitatedtospeak；Icouldonlyholdthehandswhichshegaveme，while，spiteofeveryeffort，thetearsflowedfastandbitterly。
’Itwaskind，very，verykindofyoutocometoseeme，’shesaid，withfarmorecomposurethanIcouldhavecommanded；
’Iseeitisverypainfultoyou。’
Iendeavouredtocomposemyself，andforalittletimeweremainedsilent；shewasthefirsttospeak：
’Youwillbesurprised，Mr。Purcell，whenyouobservethecalmnesswithwhichIcanspeakofhimwhowasdearesttome，whoisgone；butmythoughtsarealwayswithhim，andtherecollectionsofhislove’——hervoicefalteredalittle——’andthehopeofmeetinghimhereafterenablesmetobearexistence。’
IsaidIknownotwhat；somethingaboutresignation，Ibelieve。
’IhopeIamresigned；Godmadememore：so，’shesaid。’Oh，Mr。Purcell，I
haveoftenthoughtIlovedmylostchildTOOwell。Itwasnatural——hewasmyonlychild——hewas——’Shecouldnotproceedforafewmoments：’ItwasverynaturalthatIshouldlovehimasIdid；butitmayhavebeensinful；Ihaveoftenthoughtso。Idoateduponhim——Iidolisedhim——I
thoughttoolittleofotherholieraffections；
andGodmayhavetakenhimfromme，onlytoteachme，bythisseverelesson，thatIowedtoheavenalargershareofmyheartthantoanythingearthly。I
cannotthinkofhimnowwithoutmoresolemnfeelingsthanifhewerewithme。
Thereissomethingholyinourthoughtsofthedead；Ifeelitso。’Afterapause，shecontinued——’Mr。Purcell，doyourememberhisfeatureswell？theywereverybeautiful。’IassuredherthatIdid。
’Thenyoucantellmeifyouthinkthisafaithfullikeness。’Shetookfromadraweracaseinwhichlayaminiature。Itookitreverentlyfromherhands；itwasindeedverylike——touchinglylike。Itoldherso；
andsheseemedgratified。
Astheeveningwaswearingfast，andI
hadfartogo，Ihastenedtoterminatemyvisit，asIhadintended，byplacinginherhandaletterfromhersontome，writtenduringhissojournupontheContinent。I
requestedhertokeepit；itwasoneinwhichhespokemuchofher，andintermsofthetenderestaffection。Asshereaditscontentstheheavytearsgatheredinhereyes，andfell，onebyone，uponthepage；
shewipedthemaway，buttheystillflowedfastandsilently。Itwasinvainthatshetriedtoreadit；hereyeswerefilledwithtears：soshefoldedtheletter，andplaceditinherbosom。Irosetodepart，andshealsorose。
’Iwillnotaskyoutodelayyourdeparture，’saidshe；’yourvisitheremusthavebeenapainfulonetoyou。I
cannotfindwordstothankyoufortheletterasIwouldwish，orforallyourkindness。IthasgivenmeapleasuregreaterthanIthoughtcouldhavefallentothelotofacreaturesoverydesolateasIam；
mayGodblessyouforit!’Andthusweparted；IneversawCastleConnororitssolitaryinmatemore。
THEDRUNKARD’SDREAM。
BeingaFourthExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateF。
Purcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。
’AllthisHEtoldwithsomeconfusionandDismay，theusualconsequenceofdreamsOftheunpleasantkind，withnoneathandToexpoundtheirvainandvisionarygleams，I’veknownsomeoddoneswhichseemedreallyplannedProphetically，asthatwhichonedeems“Astrangecoincidence，“touseaphraseBywhichsuchthingsaresettlednowadays。’
BYRON。
Dreams!Whatage，orwhatcountryoftheworld，hasnotandacknowledgedthemysteryoftheiroriginandend？Ihavethoughtnotalittleuponthesubject，seeingitisonewhichhasbeenoftenforceduponmyattention，andsometimesstrangelyenough；andyetIhaveneverarrivedatanythingwhichatallappearedasatisfactoryconclusion。Itdoesappearthatamentalphenomenonsoextraordinarycannotbewhollywithoutitsuse。Weknow，indeed，thatintheoldentimesithasbeenmadetheorganofcommunicationbetweentheDeityandHiscreatures；andwhen，asIhaveseen，adreamproducesuponamind，toallappearancehopelesslyreprobateanddepraved，aneffectsopowerfulandsolastingastobreakdowntheinveteratehabits，andtoreformthelifeofanabandonedsinner，weseeintheresult，inthereformationofmoralswhichappearedincorrigible，inthereclamationofahumansoulwhichseemedtobeirre-
trievablylost，somethingmorethancouldbeproducedbyamerechimeraoftheslumberingfancy，somethingmorethancouldarisefromthecapriciousimagesofaterrifiedimagination；butoncepresented，webeholdinallthesethings，andintheirtremendousandmysteriousresults，theoperationofthehandofGod。AndwhileReasonrejectsasabsurdthesuperstitionwhichwillreadaprophecyineverydream，shemay，withoutviolencetoherself，recognise，eveninthewildestandmostincongruousofthewanderingsofaslumberingintellect，theevidencesandthefragmentsofalanguagewhichmaybespoken，whichHASbeenspoken，toterrify，towarn，andtocommand。Wehavereasontobelievetoo，bythepromptnessofactionwhichintheageoftheprophetsfollowedallintimationsofthiskind，andbythestrengthofconvictionandstrangepermanenceoftheeffectsresultingfromcertaindreamsinlattertimes，whicheffectsweourselvesmayhavewitnessed，thatwhenthismediumofcommunicationhasbeenemployedbytheDeity，theevidencesofHispresencehavebeenunequivocal。
Mythoughtsweredirectedtothissubject，inamannertoleavealastingimpressionuponmymind，bytheeventswhichI
shallnowrelate，thestatementofwhich，howeverextraordinary，isneverthelessACCURATELYCORRECT。