The Dream Angel.

THOSE instances, I believe, are neither few nor far be

tween, in which dreams have given to the afflicted, positive comfort and encouragement during their waking hours. The features of the loved who have long been parted from us either by accident or death, are thus renewed or revivified far more sympathetically than can be done by the most accurate portrait, while to the lover despairing of his lady's favour, a pleasant dream often holds forth hopes not less stimulating than her smiles. All, it is true, are not gifted with such vivid imaginations as to frequently experience these sweet delusions, but they have in every age existed to such a degree that the world has never wanted races who held with religious faith that

"-Departed spirits at their will

Could from the Land of Souls pass to and fro,

Coming to us in sleep when all is still."

To those who can feel a poetic sympathy with this belief, the following sketch, which owes its existence to a hint from Jean Paul's "Voice of the Heart," may not prove un

acceptable as an attempt to embody in a legendary form this mysterious Spirit of Dreams.

Once the bright Angel whose duty it is to watch over the happiness of Man, even the Guardian Angel of the World, drew near the throne of the Heavenly Father, and prayed: "Give me, oh Father! a way by which I may teach Man how to avoid a part at least of the many sins and temptations which the Fall hath entailed upon him! For Man is not always bad; at times he feels my better influence; at times his heart is ready to receive the good which a light external aid might fix upon him!"

Then the Father spoke to the Angel and said, "Give him the Dream!"

The sweet Guardian flew over the world with his sister the Dream. Far and wide they spread their gentle influence, and the hearts of life-weary mortals were rejoiced. But the soft breathings of the Dream Angel fell not alike on all. To the good and gentle who had sunk to rest amid the blessings of their loved ones, and whose slumber was deepened by the toil of the good deeds which they had done, there came soft and silent glimpses of the far land of light. Forgetting the narrow prison of the world, their souls rose up and spread broad and wide over the land of vision, gazing with eagle eyes upon its golden glories. But as the night waned their dream grew dim, and the outer influences of life gently closed about them and drew them back to the world and to the body, even as the corolla of the night-flower closes about it, and shuts from its gaze its best loved starry heaven.

To the toil-worn, sun-burnt husbandman who had fallen asleep in despair, and who ever feared lest some grim accident might destroy the fruit of his labour, the sweet Dream came like a soft summer shower upon the parched and dusty fields; and as he dreamed, he saw the green corn rising in goodly ranks, and gazed with joy upon the soft small ears, which, at first no larger than flower-buds, seemed, as he beheld them, to expand to full maturity.

There are certain dream fantasies and strange sleepchanges which are to be found only in the deep unbroken slumber resulting from bodily fatigue, or in the light irregular rest of fever; even as the grotesque blue dragon fly, and the strange water-flitter are found only on the surface of the deep silent pool, or over the shallow, dancing brook; and as the husbandman slept on, the fantastic sprites who attend the Dream, flitted about him and spread a gay confusion over the happy vision. For as he gazed upon the golden ears, a purple and scarlet cloud seemed to overshadow him, while round about he heard the pealing of bells, the merry singing of familiar voices, and the lowing of cattle; and in the intervals there came shouts as of glad friends at the harvest home. Then the purple cloud gathered about him, but the dream spirits with their long shadowy arms drew him through it, and he now stood before a well-filled granary; and as tears of joy ran down his cheeks, his wife and loved ones gathered about him, and their blessings and praises sunk into his heart, and mingled with the even-hymn which rose like a golden cloud from the ocean of his soul. And he awoke from the sweet

dream, and blessed it for the hope with which it had inspired him.

But the Dream flew on, and it came to a guilty prisoner who had fallen asleep, cursing his judges, his doom, and the damp black fetters which clung like cold adders to his limbs. And as he dreamed, the prison was opened, the cold chains fell away, and remorse and rage no longer fixed their poison-fangs upon his heart. A bright light shone upon him, and blessed thoughts of mercy, repentance, and reconciliation flitted through his mind like golden-winged butterflies through a summer garden; and he awoke trusting in release, with his heart filled with love and kindness. Did the cold damp fetters fall from his limbs? Were the prison doors opened? The fetters fell not away; the prison doors remained fast; and worn down by famine and sickness he perished alone in the narrow dungeon. But the blessed hope which the gentle Dream had left in his heart, gladdened his last hour, and as he died exclaiming "Not my will, but thine, oh Father!" behold there was joy in Heaven.

It hath been said, that Hope alone is left to mortals; but with her abideth her sister the Dream, who maketh her known to us. For by the Dream, men are led to Hope.