and dejected;
And the lurid glares break through it

Of the flames for ever burning;
And he sees the shames, the tortures,
And the writhing objects in them,
Suffering and enduring anguish.
They who once on bounty feasted,
Now enclosed in pangs of hunger;
They who were the poor’s oppressors,
Now oppressed and trodden under.
Now destroyers are destroyéd,
Scoffers are with scoff betaken,
And the lofty are made humble;
And he shudders to behold them.
Then an awful oath is spoken,
Bidding to unbar the passage;
And the burdened words are answered
With another oath as fearful
From the fierce and sullen keeper;
And the creaking bars fly backward
With a mighty clash of vengeance.
Then the brazen gate is opened,
And the poor deluded victim
Thrust into the pit of horrors,
All amid the foulsome vapors.
Flies the postern close behind him,
Back the bolts and bars are driven,
Creaking with their heavy burden;

And a motley throng surround him,
Railing, scoffing, and abusing;
Each devising of some evil
To annoy, or taunt, or torture.
Vengeance burneth black within him,
And infernal wars are raging
In him and in all the dwellers,
One and one against another,
Who are doomed through time eternal
To this awful pit of terrors;
Where the evil spirits harbour,
Keep, and count their spoil and plunder,
Gathered from among the people,
Brought from many ruined cities,
Gained in many depredations,
By the hand of havoc aided.”
     These are stories Sero telleth
Of the happy land of Blisses,
Of the dreaded pit of terrors,
To the people of the kingdom,
If perchance he may allure them
By the wonders he revealeth
Of the blisses of the former,
Of the terrors of the latter.
But through all Nimæra’s kingdom
Went a band of evil spirits,

Tribunes of the Prince of Darkness,
Went to aid his evil purpose;
Pried and scouted every corner,
Entered into all the dwellings,
Came to tempt and to misguide them,
Came to tempt Nimæra’s people,
Lead them on to lust and evil,
Taught them how to rob and plunder,
Taught them how to kill and murder,
Put corruption in their wishes,
Poisoned all their thoughts and reasons,
Mingled madness in their pleasures,
Blinded them with show and grandeur,
Gave them longings and ambitions,
That they lost their true discernment,
As a man with wines confuséd
Loses proper sense and caution.
And they gave such sumptuous meetings,
And they said such wondrous fair things—
Things that ne’er before were heard of,
That the dazzled people followed;
And they reaped a mighty harvest,
Leading, drawing as they listed;
For this was a simple people,
Credulous, and blind, and simple.
     Now the Maker of the kingdom,

From his pure and dazzling white throne,
Looked and saw the dreadful havoc
Raging mid Nimæra’s people,
And it vexed him very sorely;
For he loved the people fondly
Who were wisely formed by Kalim:
Bones, with matter moulded on them,
Fraught with channels, watercourses,
And red rivers running through them,
From a mystic fountain rising,
Flowing ever fast and constant,
Giving and diffusing vigor
Through the many wondrous members.
Counsel took He to restore them
From destruction’s ruthless havoc,
In an earnest consultation
Saying ever and repeating,
“We must save this ruined people;
We must give them light and caution:
Light, to shew their wayward goings;
Caution, to direct them rightly.”
So a band of spirits went out,
Builded with a holy ardour,
Sped athrough the heights and spaces
To Nimæra’s kingdom, saying:
“We will reason with this people;

Reason boldly, turn and change them,
Warn them of the evil spirits,
Shew them thrones, and crowns, and mansions,
As a trophy of repentance,
Till they cannot fail but hear us,
Till they turn in great rejoicing.”
Thus the spirits went and wandered,
Talked and reasoned with the people,
Shewing thrones, and crowns, and mansions,
Using every power and effort
To persuade them of the folly,
Of the dangers they were choosing.
They who heard the deep entreaties
For a minute turned to listen;
Felt the powers within them moving
Striving to believe and follow.
But, a little season longer,
When the spirits passéd from them,
They returned unto the rapids,
To the mighty stream of ruin
Rolling onward to destruction;
For they were so much enamoured
By the cunning fascinations
Which the evil spirits gave them
That they lackéd strength and courage,
And they failed to turn and follow,

Save a very little number,
Who restrained their lusts and wishes,
And gave heed unto the sayings
Which the kindly spirits bore them,
Gaining power, the more they harken’d,
To withstand the evil spirits,
And to baffle their endeavours.
These went to the land of Blisses;
But for one who Sero passéd
Through the wicket on his right hand,
Going to the holy regions,
Seven passéd on his left hand,
Going to the pit of terrors.
     Now that I have told you fairly,
Shewing as is due to render
Of the powers of King Nimæra
And his three most favored princes,
Giving Sero’s own description
Of the wonders of the regions
Which lie hid within the wickets
Which he ever proudly guardeth,
Will you listen when I tell you,—
Will you hearken to the stories
I can give you of Nimæra,
And his three most powerful princes,
And their dealings with the people?

I shall do my best to render
Stories such as will entice you;
Though my voice is low and feeble,
Though my pen is slow and wayward,
Never moving fair and fluent,
As the spirit which directs it
Would that it should move and tell you.
They shall but be little stories,
Gathered from the many records
Which the people kept and courted
In their halls, and towns, and cities.

I.

     Sailing o’er the sparkling waters,
With accordant breezes favoured,
Came a vessel homeward bearing,
And a gladsome people on it.
Sang they songs, and danced, and sported;
Sadness was unknown amid them;
Old, and young, and middle-agéd
Were they, and of divers stations.
While their pleasures were the fullest,
Sero saw their joys and pondered,—
Pondered with his inward spirit:
“Lo! they have an idle fancy,
All their thoughts are gay and heedless,

And they dream not of destruction,
Think not of a danger nearing,
Nor will hearken to the warnings
Which are ever spoken to them.
Ere another morn has wakened
Shall their joys be turned to mourning.
I will send, and turn, and change them.”
Said he to retainers by him,
“Seest thou that fair-like vessel,
And the mirthful crew upon