第90章

’Ihavenodoubt，myyoungfriend，thatyouarewillingtoadmitthatthemostimportantthingwhichahumanbeingpossessesishissoul；itisofinfinitelymoreimportancethanthebody，whichisafrailsubstance，andcannotlastformanyyears；butnotsothesoul，which，byitsnature，isimperishable。Tooneoftwomansionsthesoulisdestinedtodepart，afteritsseparationfromthebody，toheavenorhell；tothehallsofeternalbliss，whereGodandHisholyangelsdwell，ortotheplaceofendlessmisery，inhabitedbySatanandhisgrislycompanions。Myfriend，ifthejoysofheavenaregreat，unutterablygreat，soarethetormentsofhellunutterablyso。Iwishnottospeakofthem，Iwishnottoterrifyyourimaginationwiththetormentsofhell：indeed，Ilikenottothinkofthem；butitisnecessarytospeakofthemsometimes，andtothinkofthemsometimes，lestyoushouldsinkintoastateofcarnalsecurity。Authors，friend，andlearnedmen，arenotaltogetheragreedastotheparticularsofhell。Theyallagree，however，inconsideringitaplaceofexceedinghorror。

MasterEllisWyn，whobythebyewasachurchman，callsit，amongstotherthings，aplaceofstrongsighs，andofflamingsparks。

MasterReesPritchard，whowasnotonlyachurchman，butVicarofLlandovery，andflourishedabouttwohundredyearsago-Iwishmanylikehimflourishednow-speakingofhell，inhiscollectionofsweethymnscalledthe“Welshman’sCandle，“observes，’“Thepooliscontinuallyblazing；itisverydeep，withoutanyknownbottom，andthewallsaresohigh，thatthereisneitherhopenorpossibilityofescapingoverthem。“

’But，asItoldyoujustnow，Ihavenogreatpleasureintalkingofhell。No，friend，no；Iwouldsoonertalkoftheotherplace，andofthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodamongstHissaintsabove。’

Andthentheexcellentmanbegantodilateuponthejoysofheaven，andthegoodnessandhospitalityofGodinthemansionsabove；

explainingtome，intheclearestway，howImightgetthere。

Andwhenhehadfinishedwhathehadtosay，heleftme，whereuponWinifreddrewnigh，andsittingdownbymebegantoaddressme。’I

donotthink，’saidshe，’fromwhatIhaveobservedofthee，thatthouwouldstwishtobeungrateful，andyet，isnotthywholelifeaseriesofingratitude，andtowhom？-tothyMaker。HasHenotendowedtheewithagoodlyandhealthyform；andsenseswhichenabletheetoenjoythedelightsofHisbeautifuluniverse-theworkofHishands？Canstthounotenjoy，eventorapture，thebrightnessofthesun，theperfumeofthemeads，andthesongofthedearbirdswhichinhabitamongthetrees？Yes，thoucanst；forIhaveseenthee，andobservedtheedoingso。Yet，duringthewholetimethatIhaveknownthee，Ihavenotheardproceedfromthylipsonesinglewordofpraiseorthanksgivingto……’

Andinthismannertheadmirablewomanproceededforaconsiderabletime，andtoallherdiscourseIlistenedwithattention；andwhenshehadconcluded，Itookherhandandsaid，’Ithankyou，’andthatwasall。

Onthenextdayeverythingwasreadyforourdeparture。Thegoodfamilyofthehousecametobidusfarewell。Therewereshakingofhands，andkisses，asonthenightofourarrival。

AndasIstoodsomewhatapart，theyounggirlofwhomIhavespokensooftencameuptome，andholdingoutherhand，said，’Farewell，youngman，whereverthougoest。’Then，afterlookingaroundher，shesaid，’Itwasalltrueyoutoldme。YesterdayIreceivedaletterfromhimthouwottestof；heiscomingsoon。Godblessyou，youngman；whowouldhavethoughtthouknewestsomuch!’

So，afterwehadtakenourfarewellofthegoodfamily，wedeparted，proceedinginthedirectionofWales。Peterwasverycheerful，andenlivenedthewaywithgodlydiscourseandspiritualhymns，someofwhichw