destal:
"On May-day in the morning, when the sun rises, I shall have a _Head of
Gold_." As it was now the latter end of April, he staid to see this
wonderful change; and, in the mean time, inquiring of a poor shepherd
what was the reason of the statue being erected there, and with that
inscription, he was informed, that it was set up many years ago by an
Arabian philosopher, who travelled all the world over in search of a
real friend, that he lived with, and was extremely fond of, a great
man who inhabited the next mountain; but that on some occasion they
quarrelled, and the philosopher, leaving the mountain, retired into the
plain, where he erected this statue with his own hands, and soon after
died. To this he added, that all the people for many leagues round came
there every May morning, expecting to see the stone head turned to gold.

Tom got up very early on the first of May to behold this amazing change,
and when he came near the statue, he saw a number of people, who all ran
away from him in the utmost consternation, having never before seen a
lion follow a man like a lap-dog. Being thus left alone, he fixed his
eyes on the sun, then rising with resplendent majesty, and afterwards
turned to the statue, but could see no change in the stone.--"Surely,"
says he to himself, "there is some mystical meaning in this! This
inscription must be an aenigma, the hidden meaning of which I will
endeavour to find; for a philosopher never would expect a stone to be
turned to gold." Accordingly he measured the length of the shadow, which
the statue gave on the ground by the sun shining on it, and marked that
particular part where the head fell; then getting a chopness, a thing
like a spade, and digging, he discovered a copper chest, full of gold,
with this inscription engraved on the lid of it, "Thy _wit_, oh man!
whoever thou art, hath disclosed the aenigma, and discovered the _Golden
Head_. Take it and use it: but use it with wisdom; for know, that
_Gold_, properly employed, may dispense blessings, and promote the
happiness of mortals; but when hoarded up, or misapplied, is but trash,
that makes mankind miserable. Remember the unprofitable servant, who hid
his _talent_ in a napkin; and the profligate son who squandered away his
substance, and fed with the swine. As thou hast got the _Golden Head_,
observe the _Golden Mean_; be _good_, and be happy."

This lesson, coming as it were from the dead, struck him with such an
awe and