hey who do so
excite, and have so raised the diviner faculty, can alone possess
the certain and invariable power over dreams, even without charms
and talismans; but the most dull or idle may hope to do so with just
confidence (though not certainty) by help of skill, and by directing the
full force of their half-roused fancy towards the person or object they
wish to see reflected in the glass of Sleep."

"And what means should the uninitiated employ?" asked Lucilla, in a tone
betokening her interest.

"I will tell thee," answered the astrologer. "Thou must inscribe on a
white parchment an image of the sun."

"As how?" interrupted Lucilla.

"Thus!" said the astrologer, drawing from among his papers one inscribed
with the figure of a man asleep on the bosom of an angel. "This was made
at the potential and appointed time, when the sun was in the Ninth of
the Celestial Houses, and the Lion shook his bright mane as he ascended
the blue mount. Observe, that on the figure must be written thy
desire--the name of the person thou wishest to see, or the thing thou
wouldst have foreshown: then having prepared and brought the mind to a
faith in the effect--for without faith the imagination lies inert and
lifeless--this image will be placed under the head of the invoker, and
when the moon goeth through the sign which was in the Ninth House of
his nativity, the Dream will glide into him, and his soul walk with the
spirit of the vision."

"Give me the image," said Lucilla, eagerly.

The mystic hesitated--"No, Lucilla," said he, at length; "no, it is a
dark and comfortless path, that of prescience and unearthly knowledge,
save to the few that walk it with a gifted light and a fearless soul.
It is not for women or children--nay, for few amongst men: it withers up
the sap of life, and makes the hair grey before its time. No, no; take
the broad sunshine, and the brief but sweet flowers of earth; they are
better for thee, my child, and for thy years than the fever and hope of
the night-dream and the planetary influence."

So saying, the astrologer replaced the image within the leaves of one of
his books; and with prudence not common to him, thrust the volume into
a drawer, which he locked. The fair face of Lucilla became clouded, but
the ill health of her father imposed a restraint on her wild temper.

Just at that moment the door slowly opened, and the Englishman stood
before the daughter and sire. They did not note him at first. T