st Vigil you may tell somewhat of
his happy life in Atlantis, where he now lives with my daughter on
the pleasant Freehold which I possess in that country. Now,
notwithstanding I much regret that hereby my own peculiar nature is
unfolded to the reading world; seeing it may, in my office as Privy
Archivarius, expose me to a thousand inconveniences; nay, in the
Collegium even give rise to the question: How far a Salamander can
justly, and with binding consequences, plight himself by oath, as a
Servant of the State, and how far, on the whole, important affairs may
be intrusted to him, since, according to Gabalis and Swedenborg,
the Spirits of the Elements are not to be trusted at
all?--notwithstanding, my best friends must now avoid my embrace;
fearing lest, in some sudden exuberance, I dart out a flash or two,
and singe their hair-curls, and Sunday frocks; notwithstanding all
this, I say, it is still my purpose to assist you in the completion of
the Work, since much good of me and of my dear married daughter (would
the other two were off my hands also!) has therein been said. Would
you write your Twelfth Vigil, therefore, then descend your cursed five
pair of stairs, leave your garret, and come over to me. In the blue
palm-tree room, which you already know, you will find fit writing
materials; and you can then, in a few words, specify to your readers
what you have seen--a better plan for you than any long-winded
description of a life which you know only by hearsay.

With esteem, your obedient servant,

THE SALAMANDER LINDHORST,

P.T. Royal Privy Archivarius."

This truly somewhat rough, yet on the whole friendly note from
Archivarius Lindhorst, gave me high pleasure. Clear enough it
seemed, indeed, that the singular manner in which the fortunes of his
son-in-law had been revealed to me, and which I, bound to silence,
must conceal even from thee, kind reader, was well known to this
peculiar old gentleman; yet he had not taken it so ill as I might
readily have apprehended. Nay, here was he offering me his helpful
hand in the completion of my work; and from this I might justly
conclude that at bottom he was not averse to have his marvelous
existence in the world of spirits thus divulged through the press.

"It may be," thought I, "that he himself expects from this measure,
perhaps, to get his two other daughters the sooner married; for who
knows but a spark may fall in this or that young man's breast, and
kindle a lon