下载辰思小说免费APP
Etruscanprophecywhichsaith，"Whenthemountainopens，thecityshallfall——whenthesmokecrownstheHilloftheParchedFields，thereshallbewoeandweepinginthehearthsoftheChildrenoftheSea。"Dreadmaster，ereIleavethesewallsforsomemoredistantdwelling，Icometothee。Asthoulivest，knowIinmyheartthattheearthquakethatsixteenyearsagoshookthiscitytoitssolidbase，wasbuttheforerunnerofmoredeadlydoom。ThewallsofPompeiiarebuiltabovethefieldsoftheDead，andtheriversofthesleeplessHell。Bewarnedandfly！’
’Athens。
GLAUCUStohisbelovedSallust——greetingandhealth！——YourequestmetovisityouatRome——no，Sallust，comerathertomeatAthens！IhaveforsworntheImperialCity，itsmightytumultandhollowjoys。InmyownlandhenceforthIdwellforever。Theghostofourdepartedgreatnessisdearertomethanthegaudylifeofyourloudprosperity。Thereisacharmtomewhichnootherspotcansupply，intheporticoeshallowedstillbyholyandvenerableshades。Intheolive—grovesofIlyssusIstillhearthevoiceofpoetry——ontheheightsofPhyle，thecloudsoftwilightseemyettheshroudsofdepartedfreedom——theheralds——theheralds——ofthemorrowthatshallcome！Yousmileatmyenthusiasm，Sallust！——betterbehopefulinchainsthanresignedtotheirglitter。YoutellmeyouaresurethatI
cannotenjoylifeinthesemelancholyhauntsofafallenmajesty。YoudwellwithraptureontheRomansplendors，andtheluxuriesoftheimperialcourt。
MySallust——"nonsumqualiseram"——IamnotwhatIwas！Theeventsofmylifehavesoberedtheboundingbloodofmyyouth。Myhealthhasneverquiterecovereditswontedelasticityereitfeltthepangsofdisease，andlanguishedinthedampsofacriminal’sdungeon。MymindhasnevershakenoffthedarkshadowoftheLastDayofPompeii——thehorrorandthedesolationofthatawfulruin！——Ourbeloved，ourrememberedNydia！Ihaverearedatombtohershade，andIseeiteverydayfromthewindowofmystudy。Itkeepsaliveinmeatenderrecollection——anotunpleasingsadness——whicharebutafittinghomagetoherfidelity，andthemysteriousnessofherearlydeath。Ionegatherstheflowers，butmyownhandwreathesthemdailyaroundthetomb。ShewasworthyofatombinAthens！
’YouspeakofthegrowingsectoftheChristiansinRome。Sallust，toyouI
mayconfidemysecret；Ihaveponderedmuchoverthatfaith——Ihaveadoptedit。AfterthedestructionofPompeii，ImetoncemorewithOlinthus——saved，alas！onlyforaday，andfallingafterwardsamartyrtotheindomitableenergyofhiszeal。InmypreservationfromthelionandtheearthquakehetaughtmetobeholdthehandoftheunknownGod！I
listened——believed——adored！Myown，mymorethaneverbelovedIone，hasalsoembracedthecreed！——acreed，Sallust，which，sheddinglightoverthisworld，gathersitsconcentratedglory，likeasunset，overthenext！Weknowthatweareunitedinthesoul，asintheflesh，foreverandforever！
Agesmayrollon，ourverydustbedissolved，theearthshrivelledlikeascroll；butroundandroundthecircleofeternityrollsthewheeloflife——imperishable——unceasing！Andastheearthfromthesun，soimmortalitydrinkshappinessfromvirtue，whichisthesmileuponthefaceofGod！Visitme，then，Sallust；bringwithyouthelearnedscrollsofEpicurus，Pythagoras，Diogenes；armyourselffordef
