ill bound me to thee, thy
fireside, and thy altars! But I triumphed, and went abroad upon the
earth with a heart expanding towards all the creatures of God, though
thy image was still enshrined in its inmost core, shining in womanly
glory, pure, radiant, and without spot, like the floating prism that
forms the lustre of the diamond.

CHAPTER VI. A THEORY OF PALPABLE SUBLIMITY--SOME PRACTICAL IDEAS, AND
THE COMMENCEMENT OF ADVENTURES.

The recollection of the intense feelings of that important period of my
life has, in some measure, disturbed the connection of the narrative,
and may possibly have left some little obscurity in the mind of the
reader on the subject of the new sources of happiness that had broken on
my own intelligence. A word here in the way of elucidation, therefore,
may not be misapplied, although it is my purpose to refer more to my
acts, and to the wonderful incidents it will shortly be my duty to lay
before the world, for a just understanding of my views, than to mere
verbal explanations.

Happiness--happiness, here and hereafter, was my goal. I aimed at a life
of useful and active benevolence, a deathbed of hope and joy, and an
eternity of fruition. With such an object before me, my thoughts, from
the moment that I witnessed the dying regrets of my father, had been
intensely brooding over the means of attainment. Surprising as, no
doubt, it will appear to vulgar minds, I obtained the clew to this
sublime mystery at the late election for the borough of Householder, and
from the lips of my Lord Pledge. Like other important discoveries, it is
very simple when understood, being easily rendered intelligible to the
dullest capacities, as, indeed, in equity, ought to be the case with
every principle that is so intimately connected with the well-being of
man.

It is a universally admitted truth that happiness is the only legitimate
object of all human associations. The ruled concede a certain portion
of their natural rights for the benefits of peace, security, and order,
with the understanding that they are to enjoy the remainder as their
own proper indefeasible estate. It is true that there exist in different
nations some material differences of opinion on the subject of the
quantities to be bestowed and retained; but these aberrations from a
just medium are no more than so many caprices of the human judgment,
and in no manner do they affect the principle. I found also that all the
wisest and b