plots.In vain did she foretell that great evils still threatened those who are akin to me through my sister's blood.The unseen hand by which I am led, drives that woman away from me, even as though it were a whirlwind that swept her on.In vain she entreated and implored at the moment she was leaving those who are so dear to me.--At least, 0 Lord, permit me to stay until I shall have finished my task! Onward! A few days, for mercy's sake, only a few days! Onward! I leave these whom I am protecting on the very brink of an abyss! Onward! Onward!! And the wandering star is launched afresh on its perpetual course.But her voice traversed through space, calling me to the assistance of my own! When her voice reached me I felt that the offspring of my sister were still exposed to fearful dangers: those dangers are still increasing.Oh, say, say, Lord! shall the descendants of my sister escape those woes which for so many centuries have oppressed my race? Wilt Thou pardon me in them?
Wilt Thou punish me in them? Oh! lead them, that they may obey the last wishes of their ancestor.Guide them, that they may join their charitable hearts, their powerful strength, their best wisdom, and their immense wealth, and work together for the future happiness of mankind, thereby, perhaps, enabled to ransom me from my eternal penalties.Let those divine words of the Son of Man, "Love ye one another!" be their only aim; and by the assistance of their all-powerful words, let them contend against and vanquish those false priests who have trampled on the precepts of love, of peace, and hope commanded by the Saviour, setting up in their stead the precepts of hatred, violence, and despair.Those false shepherds, supported ay the powerful and wealthy of the world, who in all times have been their accomplices, instead of asking here below a little happiness for my brethren, who have been suffering and groaning for centuries, dare to utter, in Thy name, O Lord! that the poor must always be doomed to the tortures of this world, and that it is criminal in Thine eyes that they should either wish for or hope a mitigation of their sufferings on earth, because the happiness of the few and the wretchedness of nearly all mankind is Thine almighty will.Blasphemies!
is it not the contrary of these homicidal words that is more worthy of the name of Divine will? Hear, me, O Lord! for mercy's sake.Snatch from their enemies the descendants of my sister, from the artisan up to the king's son.Do not permit them to crush the germ of a mighty and fruitful association, which, perhaps, under Thy protection, may take its place among the records of the happiness of mankind.Suffer me, O Lord!
to unite those whom they are endeavoring to divide--to defend those whom they are attacking.Suffer me to bring hope to those from whom hope has fled, to give courage to those who are weak, to uphold those whom evil threatens, and to sustain those who would persevere in well-doing.And then, perhaps, their struggles, their devotedness, their virtues, this miseries might expiate my sin.Yes, mine--misfortune, misfortune alone, made me unjust and wicked.O Lord! since Thine almighty hand hath brought me hither, for some end unknown to me, disarm Thyself, I implore Thee, of Thine anger, and let not me be the instrument of Thy vengeance!
There is enough of mourning in the earth these two years past--Thy creatures have fallen by millions in my footsteps.The world is decimated.A veil of mourning extends from one end of the globe to the other.I have traveled from Asia even to the Frozen Pole, and death has followed in my wake.Dost Thou not hear, O Lord! the universal wailings that mount up to Thee? Have mercy upon all, and upon me.One day, grant me but a single day, that I may collect the descendants of my sister together, and save them!" And uttering these words, the wanderer fell upon his knees, and raised his hands to heaven in a suppliant attitude.
Suddenly, the wind howled with redoubled violence; its sharp whistlings changed to a tempest.The Wanderer trembled, and exclaimed in a voice of terror, "O Lord! the blast of death is howling in its rage.It appears as though a whirlwind were lifting me up.Lord, wilt Thou not, then, hear my prayer? The spectre! O! do I behold the spectre? Yes, there it is; its cadaverous countenance is agitated by convulsive throes, its red eyes are rolling in their orbits.Begone! begone! Oh! its hand--its icy hand has seized on mine! Mercy, Lord, have mercy! 'Onward!' Oh, Lord!
this scourge, this terrible avenging scourge! Must I, then, again carry it into this city, must my poor wretched brethren be the first to fall under it--though already so miserable? Mercy, mercy! 'Onward!' And the descendants of my sister --oh, pray, have mercy, mercy! 'Onward!' O
Lord, have pity on me! I can no longer keep my footing on the ground, the spectre is dragging me over the brow of the hill; my course is as rapid as the death-bearing wind that whistles in my track; I already approach the walls of the city.Oh, mercy, Lord, mercy on the descendants of my sister--spare them! do not compel me to be their executioner, and let them triumph over their enemies.Onward, onward!
The ground is fleeing from under me; I am already at the city gate; oh, yet, Lord, yet there is time; oh, have mercy on this slumbering city, that it may not even now awaken with the lamentations of terror, of despair and death! O Lord, I touch the threshold of the gate; verily Thou willest it so then.'Tis done--Paris! the scourge is in thy bosom!
oh, cursed, cursed evermore am I.Onward! on! on!"[34]
[34] In 1346, the celebrated Black Death ravaged the earth, presenting the same symptoms as the cholera, and the same inexplicable phenomena as to its progress and the results in its route.In 1660 a similar epidemic decimated the world.It is well known that when the cholera first broke out in Paris, it had taken a wide and unaccountable leap; and, also memorable, a north-east wind prevailed during its utmost fierceness.