Sacred Allegories - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1871 Excerpt: ... downward path, more than once some one seemed to pass him, like the form of a dream, and a voice sounding like a whisper spoke clearly and sadly in his ear: "If sinners entice thee, do not thou consent." "His feet go down to death, and his steps take hold of hell." But, though he started, paused, listened, trembled, he went on. Twice he looked back anxiously, but each time, as rapidly as lightning from the clouds, his guide had turned and fixed his adder-like eye on him, and Cyril pursued his course. The journey was neither long nor difficult; brief and easy. They made one more turn, and stood before the gateway of a vast palace of magnificent proportions and gorgeous colouring, blazing in light. Splendid trees stood around of colossal magnitude, delightful to the eye, and flowers of delicious odour hung their heads in the slumberous warmth. A flight of splendid steps of massive gold led up to the doorway, and in the dim distance of a hall lit with lamps of every colour, figures beautifully dressed, of surpassing grace and of unutterable loveliness, passed to and fro, bearing vessels from which rose clouds of steaming incense. Gushes of music sobbed and burst from the open doorway, as if the palace were too full of melody to contain its well-springs of sound. For an instant Cyril stood entranced. Two things were striking: there was no distance--all was foreground, blazing, brilliant, glaring, splendid foreground; no distance, not a tree, nor hill, nor stream; close behind the palace there was nothing. So different to the narrow road: there all had been distance--far distance. "Thou shalt see the King in His beauty, and the land which is very far off." And while on that pathway, the dark, cold mist would hang at either edge, and rough cutting stones lay woun...