at about four

be of consider

cared to visit it

ress, or moder

errific power f

r dead person mis superstitious

e more anxious

ide, with whom

antic country

g whether the

it herself to

t Pythones, , whose subter

Circe, Medez

the entrance of the cave, which my guide contemplated with a profound horror; and as no entreaties would prevail upon him to enter, I took a pistol in each hand, being in sooth somewhat apprehensive of banditti, though perfectly undismayed by any fear of supernatural adversaries, and marched slowly forward into the mouth of the aperture.

From the appearances of the interior, I should conjecture it to have served as a place of refuge for some pious hermit of the early ages, rude seats being hewn out of the rock, and sufficient light admitted by tunnels communicating with the surface to enable a person to read in any part without difficulty. Passing through a narrow passage at the extremity of the first porch I entered a second, where, to my infinite amazement, I beheld a young and beautiful female gazing earnestly upon a large book: her complexion was pale, and her dark hair parting at the top of her head, and falling on each side upon her shoulders, discovered a high and fair forehead, with a finely carved brow, which seemed to be the seat of intense thought. So much was she absorbed in study, that she did not observe my entrance until I intercepted a portion of the light that fell upon the volume, when, without expressing any surprise or alarm, she turned towards me, and said with a gentle voice-" You are a stranger; why do you invade my solitude?" Simple as was the question, I hardly knew what reply to make, stammering out with some hesitation, that I had no excuse for my intrusion but curiosity, excited by the marvellous stories related by the peasants

dack curtain, which words can express the dered and astonished, became completely u upon the island of I tuitive knowledge me, and even of the the scene. Ancient was a floating islan coli dedit, et conten that it had again br been wafted up to th ment's observation to be standing in the by a vast multitude celebrate the great Before me was the

supernatural power, I felt somewhat embarrassed by rming the princip

her command, although resolved to put her assumed magic to the test of proof. Having lately been reperusing Sappho's Hymn to Venus, preserved by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, as well as her celebrated ode, so indifferently imitated by Catullus, and so admirably translated by our Ambrose Phillips, one of those sudden associations of thought for which there is no accounting suggested her at that moment to my mind, and I suddenly exclaimed-" Sappho, the poetess."" Behold her!" said the female, and quietly resumed her studies.

the little river Inop thus, covered with yet risen; but the anxious to show a poured from the I light, illuminating and diffusing a ri whose waves laid yellow sands of The ocean was co Sea to the Herm Icarian Sea to the sails alternately c

hI assured be mours of her er ability to r why not?"

that surroun

their respective

of nature, a e in innumerate cause they are d Hit one because men should

d die? Speti

or present times

nce of her tont

of some menta

consciousness af

embarased but her assumes lately been preserved

black curtain, which began slowly to arise; but what words can express the wonder with which I was bewildered and astonished, when, as the mysterious drapery became completely upfurled, I found myself gazing upon the island of Delos, in the Egean Sea, with an intuitive knowledge of the localities that surrounded me, and even of the living personages that figured in the scene. Ancient tradition having asserted that it was a floating island until Jupiter " Immotamque coli dedit, et contemnere ventos," I at first imagined that it had again broken from its rocky moorings and been wafted up to the mouth of the cave; but a moment's observation dissipated this fancy, for I seemed to be standing in the centre of the island, surrounded by a vast multitude of people, who were assembled to celebrate the great quinquennial Festival of Apollo. Before me was the beautiful Temple of that deity, forming the principal ornament of a city, watered by the little river Inopus, behind which rose Mount Cynthus, covered with laurel groves. The sun had not yet risen; but the moon was full, and Diana, as if

is her epoxious to show all honour to her brother det

illus, and soth Phillips, one d for which ther

t moment to

Sappho, th

poured from the heavens a steady and resplendent light, illuminating the whole group of the Cyclades, and diffusing a rippling brightness over the Egean, whose waves laid themselves gently down upon the yellow sands of the island with a hushing sound. Seocean was covered with vessels Sea to the Hermaic Gulf on the west, and from the Icarian Sea to the Hellespont on the east, their white sails alternately catching and losing the moonbeams,

and their oars, as they cut the glittering waters, appearing to flash like meteors. All were loaded with votaries, bearing offerings of statues, pictures, and costly presents, or with visitants from various parts, hurrying to witness this magnificent festival. The Ionians were there with their wives and children, the natives of Thessaly, Bœotia, Arcadia, and Argolis; and even the remote Hyperboreans had freighted a bark with the tribute of their first fruits.

But that which excited most attention was the splendid deputation of the Athenians, in five handsome vessels, headed by the sacred galley called Paralus, which was said to have been preserved from the times of Theseus, and during whose absence from Athens no criminal could be executed. Crowding with other inhabitants to the beach, I saw the Deliastes descend from it, followed by the four priests of the family of the Ceryces, who claimed Mercury for their ancestor; the priestesses called Deliades, all crowned with laurel; and lastly, the dancing-girls, attended by Philammon, whom Plutarch mentions as the inventor of the sacred dances used at Delphi. As it was customary to rehearse their performance beforehand, they danced, as soon as they landed, the Geranon, intended by its figure to represent the turns and intricacies of the Labyrinth.

By the time this was concluded, a thin grey light had stolen over the deep blue of the eastern heavens, which, gradually assuming a rosy hue, deepened at last into those golden flushes which fly up the sky to announce the coming of the god of day. At this sight

THE CAVE

the multitude, with cers of the sanctuar in the ceremonies, a of the Temple, an whence their deity upper surface of the horizon, the v one knee, and st east, shouted out s Apollo!" leaving clamation. The cave of the air, re templated the illu eyes of this vast a east, beheld the could not help i uprising at this t a complacent sm ries, assembled i vivified after the Musical instr lude, and the w united their voic

"Hail to Apo Glorious Celebrate l And hym

ering waters, were loaded w

es, pictures, m various pare at festival. Th

and children, t
ia, and Argois
had freighter

uits.
on was the sple
five handsome

the multitude, with the priests and priestesses, the officers of the sanctuary, and all those who were to figure in the ceremonies, arranged themselves in order in front of the Temple, anxiously gazing towards the quarter whence their deity was to arise; and as soon as the upper surface of his fiery orb became visible above - the horizon, the whole assembled people sunk upon one knee, and stretching their right hands to the east, shouted out simultaneously - "Apollo! Apollo ! Apollo!" leaving a short interval between each exclamation. The seas and islands, and the blue concave of the air, reverberated the sound, and as I contemplated the illuminated countenances and glistening eyes of this vast assemblage, and, upon turning to the east, beheld the sun's disk now fully developed, I could not help imagining that he had quickened his uprising at this triumphant summons, and that he cast a complacent smile upon this crowd of kneeling votaries, assembled in the island which his rays had first vivified after the great Ogygian deluge.

y called Paraik d from the time nce from Ather wding with othe Deliastes descen of the family o r their ancestor ned with laure by Philamme tor of the sacre. Lustomary to th they danced, intended by tricacies of th

thin grey ligi astern heave deepened at las

the sky to ar At this sigk

Musical instruments now sounded a solemn prelude, and the whole body of the priests and choristers united their voices in the following chaunt :

"Hail to Apollo, the magnificent, the beautiful,
Glorious God of Creation;

Celebrate his jubilee with sacrifices dutiful,
And hymns of devout adoration;"

which was followed by an animated Pæan from the

Priestesses:

"God of the Earth! - God of the Earth!

Our praises we pour from the place of thy birth :

05