Page:Dealings with the dead.djvu/31

 to move and be in, quite as infinite in both extent and variety beside; for the Soul, I soon discovered, was a Vastitude in and of itself; and should it happen that not one of the moments of its mighty year be spent in the society of others like unto itself, yet there would be but little occasion for ennui; not one lonely minute need be spent, for all its days—if for illustration's sake, I may predicate time of that whereof emotions and states are the minutes and the hours—might be profitably employed in visiting its own treasure houses and in counting the rare jewels there stored away; besides which, it could perform many a pleasant voyage, visiting mighty continents, rare islands, wondrous cities, and marvellous countries of its own tremendous being;—aye! it could amuse itself for ages in merely glancing at the hills, valleys, caverns—strange deep caverns they are too—the oceans, forests, fields fens, brakes, and marshes of its mighty self; nor would its resources be exhausted at the thither end of the rolling wave of Time; because time is not to the soul: its duration and successions are of thought, not seconds—so wonderful, so vast, so illimitable, and, taken as a unit, so incomprehensible, save by the Over-soul himself, is the human being. Soul! thou august thing! Felt thou mayest be; understood by none, save God; and, albeit we may explore a little of thy forelands, yet only He can penetrate thy depths; only He can trace the streams that water thee to their source, and that source can be no other than His divine heart, who, forever unseen, is never unfelt; an invisible worker afar off, yet near at hand; one who spreadeth the banquet, and prepareth the feasters, who worketh ever in secret, yet who doeth all things well! Soul! Mighty potentate! 2