ship　sped　full　sail　on　the　back　of　a　motionless　tortoise。
  The　Emperor　Augustus　remained　unmoved　and　imperial　with　an　air…pump
  thrust　into　one　eye。　Portraits　of　French　sheriffs　and　Dutch
  burgomasters；　phlegmatic　now　as　when　in　life；　looked　down　pallid　and
  unconcerned　on　the　chaos　of　past　ages　below　them。
  Every　land　of　earth　seemed　to　have　contributed　some　stray　fragment　of
  its　learning；　some　example　of　its　art。　Nothing　seemed　lacking　to　this
  philosophical　kitchen…midden；　from　a　redskin's　calumet；　a　green　and
  golden　slipper　from　the　seraglio；　a　Moorish　yataghan；　a　Tartar　idol；
  to　the　soldier's　tobacco　pouch；　to　the　priest's　ciborium；　and　the
  plumes　that　once　adorned　a　throne。　This　extraordinary　combination　was
  rendered　yet　more　bizarre　by　the　accidents　of　lighting；　by　a　multitude
  of　confused　reflections　of　various　hues；　by　the　sharp　contrast　of
  blacks　and　whites。　Broken　cries　seemed　to　reach　the　ear；　unfinished
  dramas　seized　upon　the　imagination；　smothered　lights　caught　the　eye。　A
  thin　coating　of　inevitable　dust　covered　all　the　multitudinous　corners
  and　convolutions　of　these　objects　of　various　shapes　which　gave　highly
  picturesque　effects。
  First　of　all；　the　stranger　compared　the　three　galleries　which
  civilization；　cults；　divinities；　masterpieces；　dominions；　carousals；
  sanity；　and　madness　had　filled　to　repletion；　to　a　mirror　with　numerous
  facets；　each　depicting　a　world。　After　this　first　hazy　idea　he　would
  fain　have　selected　his　pleasures；　but　by　dint　of　using　his　eyes；
  thinking　and　musing；　a　fever　began　to　possess　him；　caused　perhaps　by
  the　gnawing　pain　of　hunger。　The　spectacle　of　so　much　existence；
  individual　or　national；　to　which　these　pledges　bore　witness；　ended　by
  numbing　his　sensesthe　purpose　with　which　he　entered　the　shop　was
  fulfilled。　He　had　left　the　real　behind；　and　had　climbed　gradually　up
  to　an　ideal　world；　he　had　attained　to　the　enchanted　palace　of　ecstasy；
  whence　the　universe　appeared　to　him　by　fragments　and　in　shapes　of
  flame；　as　once　the　future　blazed　out　before　the　eyes　of　St。　John　in
  Patmos。
  A　crowd　of　sorrowing　faces；　beneficent　and　appalling；　dark　and
  luminous；　far　and　near；　gathered　in　numbers；　in　myriads；　in　whole
  generations。　Egypt；　rigid　and　mysterious；　arose　from　her　sands　in　the
  form　of　a　mummy　swathed　in　black　bandages；　then　the　Pharaohs　swallowed
  up　nations；　that　they　might　build　themselves　a　tomb；　and　he　beheld
  Moses　and　the　Hebrews　and　the　desert；　and　a　solemn　antique　world。
  Fresh　and　joyous；　a　marble　statue　spoke　to　him　from　a　twisted　column
  of　the　pleasure…loving　myths　of　Greece　and　Ionia。　Ah！　who　would　not
  have　smiled　with　him　to　see；　against　the　earthen　red　background；　the
  brown…faced　maiden　dancing　with　gleeful　reverence　before　the　god
  Priapus；　wrought　in　the　fine　clay　of　an　Etruscan　vase？　The　Latin　queen
  caressed　her　chimera。
  The　whims　of　Imperial　Rome　were　there　in　life；　the　bath　was　disclosed；
  the　toilette　of　a　languid　Julia；　dreaming；　waiting　for　her　Tibullus。
  Strong　with　the　might　of　Arabic　spells；　the　head　of　Cicero　evoked
  memories　of　a　free　Rome；　and　unrolled　before　him　the　scrolls　of　Titus
  Livius。　The　young　man　beheld　Senatus　Populusque　Romanus；　consuls；
  lictors；　togas　with　purple　fringes；　the　fighting　in　the　Forum；　the
  angry　people；　passed　in　review　before　him　like　the　cloudy　faces　of　a
  dream。
  Then　Christian　Rome　predominated　in　his　vision。　A　painter　had　laid
  heaven　open；　he　beheld　the　Virgin　Mary　wrapped　in　a　golden　cloud　among
  the　angels；　shining　more　brightly　than　the　sun；　receiving　the　prayers
  of　sufferers；　on　whom　this　second　Eve　Regenerate　smiles　pityingly。　At
  the　touch　of　a　mosaic；　made　of　various　lavas　from　Vesuvius　and　Etna；
  his　fancy　fled　to　the　hot　tawny　south　of　Italy。　He　was　present　at
  Borgia's　orgies；　he　roved　among　the　Abruzzi；　sought　for　Italian　love
  intrigues；　grew　ardent　over　pale　faces　and　dark；　almond…shaped　eyes。
  He　shivered　over　midnight　adventures；　cut　short　by　the　cool　thrust　of
  a　jealous　blade；　as　he　saw　a　mediaeval　dagger　with　a　hilt　wrought　like
  lace；　and　spots　of　rust　like　splashes　of　blood　upon　it。
  India　and　its　religions　took　the　shape　of　the　idol　with　his　peaked　cap
  of　fantastic　form；　with　little　bells；　clad　in　silk　and　gold。　Close　by；
  a　mat；　as　pretty　as　the　bayadere　who　once　lay　upon　it；　still　gave　out
  a　faint　scent　of　sandal　wood。　His　fancy　was　stirred　by　a　goggle…eyed
  Chinese　monster；　with　mouth　awry　and　twisted　limbs；　the　invention　of　a
  people　who；　grown　weary　of　the　monotony　of　beauty；　found　an
  indescribable　pleasure　in　an　infinite　variety　of　ugliness。　A　salt…
  cellar　from　Benvenuto　Cellini's　workshop　carried　him　back　to　the
  Renaissance　at　its　height；　to　the　time　when　there　was　no　restraint　on
  art　or　morals；　when　torture　was　the　sport　of　sovereigns；　and　from
  their　councils；　churchmen　with　courtesans'　arms　about　them　issued
  decrees　of　chastity　for　simple　priests。
  On　a　cameo　he　saw　the　conquests　of　Alexander；　the　massacres　of　Pizarro
  in　a　matchbox；　and　religious　wars　disorderly；　fanatical；　and　cruel；　in
  the　shadows　of　a　helmet。　Joyous　pictures　of　chivalry　were　called　up　by
  a　suit　of　Milanese　armor；　brightly　polished　and　richly　wrought；　a
  paladin's　eyes　seemed　to　sparkle　yet　under　the　visor。
  This　sea　of　inventions；　fashions；　furniture；　works　of　art　and　fiascos；
  made　for　him　a　poem　without　end。　Shapes　and　colors　and　projects　all
  lived　again　for　him；　but　his　mind　received　no　clear　and　perfect
  conception。　It　was　the　poet's　task　to　complete　the　sketches　of　the
  great　master；　who　had　scornfully　mingled　on　his　palette　the　hues　of
  the　numberless　vicissitudes　of　human　life。　When　the　world　at　large　at
  last　released　him；　when　he　had　pondered　over　many　lands；　many　epochs；
  and　various　empires；　the　young　man　came　back　to　the　life　of　the
  individual。　He　impersonated　fresh　characters；　and　turned　his　mind　to
  details；　rejecting　the　life　of　nations　as　a　burden　too　overwhelming
  for　a　single　soul。
  Yonder　was　a　sleeping　child　modeled　in　wax；　a　relic　of　Ruysch's
  collection；　an　enchanting　creation　which　brought　back　the　happiness　of
  his　own　childhood。　The　cotton　garment　of　a　Tahitian　maid　next
  fascinated　him；　he　beheld　the　primitive　life　of　nature；　the　real
  modesty　of　naked　chastity；　the　joys　of　an　idleness　natural　to　mankind；
  a　peaceful　fate　by　a　slow　river　of　sweet　water　under　a　plantain　tree
  that　bears　its　pleasant　manna　without　the　toil　of　man。　Then　all　at
  once　he　became　a　corsair；　investing　himself　with　the　terrible　poetry
  that　Lara　has　given　to　the　part：　the　thought　came　at　the　sight　of　the
  mother…of…pearl　tints　of　a　myriad　sea…shells；　and　grew　as　he　saw
  madrepores　redolent　of　the　sea…weeds　and　the　storms　of　the　Atlantic。
  The　sea　was　forgotten　again　at　a　distant　view　of　exquisite　miniatures；
  he　admired　a　precious　missal　in　manuscript；　adorned　with　arabesques　in
  gold　and　blue。　Thoughts　of　peaceful　life　swayed　him；　he　devoted
  himself　afresh　to　study　and　research；　longing　for　the　easy　life　of　the
  monk；　devoid　alike　of　cares　and　pleasures；　and　from　the　depths　of　his
  cell　he　looked　out　upon　the　meadows；　woods；　and　vineyards　of　his
  convent。　Pausing　before　some　work　of　Teniers；　he　took　for　his　own　the
  helmet　of　the　soldier　or　the　poverty　of　the　artisan；　he　wished　to　wear
  a　smoke…begrimed　cap　with　these　Flemings；　to　drink　their　beer　and　join
  their　game　at　cards；　and　smiled　upon　the　comely　plumpness　of　a　peasant
  woman。　He　shivered　at　a　snowstorm　by　Mieris；　he　seemed　to　take　part　in
  Salvator　Rosa's　battle…piece；　he　ran　his　fingers　over　a　tomahawk　form
  Illinois；　and　felt　his　own　hair　rise　as　he　touched　a　Cherokee
  scalping…knife。　He　marveled　over　the　rebec　that　he　set　in　the　hands　of
  some　lady　of　the　land；　drank　in　the　musical　notes　of　her　ballad；　and
  in　the　twilight　by　the　gothic　arch　above　the　hearth　he　told　his　love
  in　a　gloom　so　deep　that　he　could　not　read　his　answer　in　her　eyes。
  He　caught　at　all　delights；　at　all　sorrows；　grasped　at　existence　in
  every　form；　and　endowed　the　phantoms　conjured　up　from　that　inert　and
  plastic　material　so　liberally　with　his　own　life　and　feelings；　that　the
  sound　of　his　own　footsteps　reached　him　as　if　from　another　world；　or　as
  the　hum　of　Paris　reaches　the　towers　of　Notre　Dame。
  He　ascended　the　inner　staircase　which　led　to　the　first　floor；　with　its
  votive　shields；　panoplies；　carved　shrines；　and　figures　on　the　wall　at
  every　step。　Haunted　by　the　strangest　shapes；　by　marvelous　creations
  belonging　to　the　borderland　betwixt　life　and　death；　he　walked　as　if
  under　the　spell　of　a　dream。　His　own　existence　became　a　matter　of　doubt
  to　him；　he　was　neither　wholly　alive　nor　dead；　like　the　curious　objects
  about　him。　The　light　began　to　fade　as　he　reached　the　show…rooms；　but
  the　treasures　of　gold　and　silver　heaped　up　there　scarcely　seemed　to
  need　illumination　from　without。　The　most　extravagant　whims　of
  prodigals；　who　have　run　through　millions　to　perish　in　garrets；　had
  left　their　traces　here　in　this　vast　bazar　of　human　follies。　Here；
  beside　a　writing　desk；　made　at　the　cost　of　100；000　francs；　and　sold
  for　a　hundred　pence；　lay　a　lock　with　a　secret　worth　a　king's　ransom。
  The　human　race　was　revealed　in　all　the　grandeur　of　its　wretchedness；
  in　all　the　splendor　of　its　infinite　littleness。　An　ebony　table　that　an
  artist　might　worship；