part10-第8章

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vaulted　like　a　cave。　Here　a　Sacristan　once　taught　magic；　judicial

astrology；　geomancy；　hydromancy；　pyromancy；　acromancy；　chiromancy；

necromancy；　&c。

　　The　extract　goes　on　to　state　that　seven　students　engaged　at　a　time

with　the　Sacristan；　at　a　fixed　stipend。　Lots　were　cast　among　them

which　one　of　their　number　should　pay　for　the　whole；　with　the

understanding　that　he　on　whom　the　lot　fell；　if　he　did　not　pay

promptly；　should　be　detained　in　a　chamber　of　the　Sacristy；　until　the

funds　were　forthcoming。　This　became　thenceforth　the　usual　practice。

　　On　one　occasion　the　lot　fell　on　Henry　de　Villena；　son　of　the　marquis

of　the　same　name。　He　having　perceived　that　there　had　been　trick　and

shuffling　in　the　casting　of　the　lot；　and　suspecting　the　Sacristan　to

be　cognizant　thereof；　refused　to　pay。　He　was　forthwith　left　in

limbo。　It　so　happened　that　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　Sacristy　was　a　huge

jar　or　earthen　reservoir　for　water；　which　was　cracked　and　empty。　In

this　the　youth　contrived　to　conceal　himself。　The　Sacristan　returned　at

night　with　a　servant；　bringing　lights　and　a　supper。　Unlocking　the

door；　they　found　no　one　in　the　vault；　and　a　book　of　magic　lying　open

on　the　table。　They　retreated　in　dismay；　leaving　the　door　open；　by

which　Villena　made　his　escape。　The　story　went　about　that　through　magic

he　had　made　himself　invisible。

　　The　reader　has　now　both　versions　of　the　story；　and　may　make　his

choice。　I　will　only　observe　that　the　sages　of　the　Alhambra　incline

to　the　diabolical　one。

　　This　Henry　de　Villena　flourished　in　the　time　of　Juan　II；　King　of

Castile；　of　whom　he　was　uncle。　He　became　famous　for　his　knowledge　of

the　Natural　Sciences；　and　hence；　in　that　ignorant　age　was

stigmatized　as　a　necromancer。　Fernan　Perez　de　Guzman；　in　his　account

of　distinguished　men；　gives　him　credit　for　great　learning；　but　says　he

devoted　himself　to　the　arts　of　divination；　the　interpretation　of

dreams；　of　signs；　and　portents。

　　At　the　death　of　Villena；　his　library　fell　into　the　hands　of　the

King；　who　was　warned　that　it　contained　books　treating　of　magic；　and

not　proper　to　be　read。　King　Juan　ordered　that　they　should　be

transported　in　carts　to　the　residence　of　a　reverend　prelate　to　be

examined。　The　prelate　was　less　learned　than　devout。　Some　of　the

books　treated　of　mathematics；　others　of　astronomy；　with　figures　and

diagrams；　and　planetary　signs；　others　of　chemistry　or　alchemy；　with

foreign　and　mystic　words。　All　these　were　necromancy　in　the　eyes　of　the

pious　prelate；　and　the　books　were　consigned　to　the　flames；　like　the

library　of　Don　Quixote。



　　THE　SEAL　OF　SOLOMON。　The　device　consists　of　two　equilateral

triangles；　interlaced　so　as　to　form　a　star；　and　surrounded　by　a

circle。　According　to　Arab　tradition；　when　the　Most　High　gave　Solomon

the　choice　of　blessings；　and　he　chose　wisdom；　there　came　from　heaven　a

ring；　on　which　this　device　was　engraven。　This　mystic　talisman　was

the　arcanum　of　his　wisdom；　felicity；　and　grandeur；　by　this　he　governed

and　prospered。　In　consequence　of　a　temporary　lapse　from　virtue；　he

lost　the　ring　in　the　sea；　and　was　at　once　reduced　to　the　level　of

ordinary　men。　By　penitence　and　prayer　he　made　his　peace　with　the

Deity；　was　permitted　to　find　his　ring　again　in　the　belly　of　a　fish；

and　thus　recovered　his　celestial　gifts。　That　he　might　not　utterly　lose

them　again；　he　communicated　to　others　the　secret　of　the　marvellous

ring。

　　This　symbolical　seal　we　are　told　was　sacrilegiously　used　by　the

Mahometan　infidels；　and　before　them　by　the　Arabian　idolaters；　and

before　them　by　the　Hebrews；　for　〃diabolical　enterprises　and　abominable

superstitions。〃　Those　who　wish　to　be　more　thoroughly　informed　on　the

subject；　will　do　well　to　consult　the　learned　Father　Athanasius

Kirker's　treatise　on　the　Cabala　Sarracenica。



　　A　word　more　to　the　curious　reader。　There　are　many　persons　in　these

skeptical　times　who　affect　to　deride　every　thing　connected　with　the

occult　sciences；　or　black　art；　who　have　no　faith　in　the　efficacy　of

conjurations；　incantations　or　divinations；　and　who　stoutly　contend

that　such　things　never　had　existence。　To　such　determined　unbelievers

the　testimony　of　past　ages　is　as　nothing；　they　require　the　evidence　of

their　own　senses；　and　deny　that　such　arts　and　practices　have　prevailed

in　days　of　yore；　simply　because　they　meet　with　no　instance　of　them

in　the　present　day。　They　cannot　perceive　that；　as　the　world　became

versed　in　the　natural　sciences；　the　supernatural　became　superfluous

and　fell　into　disuse；　and　that　the　hardy　inventions　of　art

superseded　the　mysteries　of　magic。　Still；　say　the　enlightened　few；

those　mystic　powers　exist；　though　in　a　latent　state；　and　untasked　by

the　ingenuity　of　man。　A　talisman　is　still　a　talisman；　possessing　all

its　indwelling　and　awful　properties；　though　it　may　have　lain　dormant

for　ages　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　or　in　the　dusty　cabinet　of　the

antiquary。

　　The　signet　of　Solomon　the　Wise；　for　instance；　is　well　known　to

have　held　potent　control　over　genii；　demons；　and　enchantments；　now　who

will　positively　assert　that　the　same　mystic　signet；　wherever　it　may

exist；　does　not　at　the　present　moment　possess　the　same　marvellous

virtues　which　distinguished　it　in　the　olden　time？　Let　those　who

doubt　repair　to　Salamanca；　delve　into　the　cave　of　San　Cyprian；　explore

its　hidden　secrets；　and　decide。　As　to　those　who　will　not　be　at　the

pains　of　such　investigation；　let　them　substitute　faith　for

incredulity；　and　receive　with　honest　credence　the　foregoing　legend。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Author's　Farewell　to　Granada。



　　MY　SERENE　and　happy　reign　in　the　Alhambra　was　suddenly　brought　to

a　close　by　letters　which　reached　me；　while　indulging　in　Oriental

luxury　in　the　cool　hall　of　the　baths；　summoning　me　away　from　my　Moslem

elysium　to　mingle　once　more　in　the　bustle　and　business　of　the　dusty

world。　How　was　I　to　encounter　its　toils　and　turmoils；　after　such　a

life　of　repose　and　reverie！　How　was　I　to　endure　its　common…place；

after　the　poetry　of　the　Alhambra！

　　But　little　preparation　was　necessary　for　my　departure。　A　two…wheeled

vehicle；　called　a　tartana；　very　much　resembling　a　covered　cart；　was　to

be　the　travelling　equipage　of　a　young　Englishman　and　myself　through

Murcia；　to　Alicante　and　Valencia；　on　our　way　to　France；　and　a

long…limbed　varlet；　who　had　been　a　contrabandista；　and；　for　aught　I

knew；　a　robber；　was　to　be　our　guide　and　guard。　The　preparations　were

soon　made；　but　the　departure　was　the　difficulty。　Day　after　day　was

it　postponed；　day　after　day　was　spent　in　lingering　about　my　favorite

haunts；　and　day　after　day　they　appeared　more　delightful　in　my　eyes。

　　The　social　and　domestic　little　world　also；　in　which　I　had　been

moving；　had　become　singularly　endeared　to　me；　and　the　concern

evinced　by　them　at　my　intended　departure　convinced　me　that　my　kind

feelings　were　reciprocated。　Indeed；　when　at　length　the　day　arrived；

I　did　not　dare　venture　upon　a　leave…taking　at　the　good　dame　Antonia's；

I　saw　the　soft　heart　of　little　Dolores；　at　least；　was　brim　full　and

ready　for　an　overflow。　So　I　bade　a　silent　adieu　to　the　palace　and

its　inmates；　and　descended　into　the　city；　as　if　intending　to　return。

There；　however；　the　tartana　and　the　guide　were　ready；　so；　after　taking

a　noonday's　repast　with　my　fellow　traveller　at　the　posada；　I　set　out

with　him　on　our　journey。

　　Humble　was　the　cortege　and　melancholy　the　departure　of　El　Rey　Chico

the　second！　Manuel；　the　nephew　of　Tia　Antonia；　Mateo；　my　officious

but　now　disconsolate　squire；　and　two　or　three　old　invalids　of　the

Alhambra　with　whom　I　had　grown　into　gossiping　companionship；　had　come

down　to　see　me　off；　for　it　is　one　of　the　good　old　customs　of　Spain；　to

sally　forth　several　miles　to　meet　a　coming　friend；　and　to　accompany

him　as　far　on　his　departure。　Thus　then　we　set　out；　ourlong…legged

guard　striding　ahead；　with　his　escopeta　on　his　shoulder；　Manuel　and

Mateo　on　each　side　of　the　tartana；　and　the　old　invalids　behind。

　　At　some　little　distance　to　the　north　of　Granada；　the　road

gradual