Real　philosophy　seeks　rather　to　solve　than　to　deny。　　While　we
  hear；　every　day；　the　small　pretenders　to　science　talk　of　the
  absurdities　of　alchemy　and　the　dream　of　the　Philosopher's　Stone；
  a　more　erudite　knowledge　is　aware　that　by　alchemists　the　greatest
  discoveries　in　science　have　been　made；　and　much　which　still　seems
  abstruse；　had　we　the　key　to　the　mystic　phraseology　they　were
  compelled　to　adopt；　might　open　the　way　to　yet　more　noble
  acquisitions。　　The　Philosopher's　Stone　itself　has　seemed　no
  visionary　chimera　to　some　of　the　soundest　chemists　that　even　the
  present　century　has　produced。　　（Mr。　Disraeli；　in　his　〃Curiosities
  of　Literature〃　（article　〃Alchem〃）；　after　quoting　the　sanguine
  judgments　of　modern　chemists　as　to　the　transmutation　of　metals；
  observes　of　one　yet　greater　and　more　recent　than　those　to　which
  Glyndon's　thoughts　could　have　referred；　〃Sir　Humphry　Davy　told　me
  that　he　did　not　consider　this　undiscovered　art　as　impossible；　but
  should　it　ever　be　discovered；　it　would　certainly　be　useless。〃）
  Man　cannot　contradict　the　Laws　of　Nature。　　But　are　all　the　laws
  of　Nature　yet　discovered？
  〃Give　me　a　proof　of　your　art；〃　says　the　rational　inquirer。　　〃When
  I　have　seen　the　effect；　I　will　endeavour；　with　you；　to　ascertain
  the　causes。〃
  Somewhat　to　the　above　effect　were　the　first　thoughts　of　Clarence
  Glyndon　on　quitting　Zanoni。　　But　Clarence　Glyndon　was　no
  〃rational　inquirer。〃　　The　more　vague　and　mysterious　the　language
  of　Zanoni；　the　more　it　imposed　upon　him。　　A　proof　would　have　been
  something　tangible；　with　which　he　would　have　sought　to　grapple。
  And　it　would　have　only　disappointed　his　curiosity　to　find　the
  supernatural　reduced　to　Nature。　　He　endeavoured　in　vain；　at　some
  moments　rousing　himself　from　credulity　to　the　scepticism　he
  deprecated；　to　reconcile　what　he　had　heard　with　the　probable
  motives　and　designs　of　an　imposter。　　Unlike　Mesmer　and
  Cagliostro；　Zanoni；　whatever　his　pretensions；　did　not　make　them　a
  source　of　profit；　nor　was　Glyndon's　position　or　rank　in　life
  sufficient　to　render　any　influence　obtained　over　his　mind；
  subservient　to　schemes；　whether　of　avarice　or　ambition。　　Yet；
  ever　and　anon；　with　the　suspicion　of　worldly　knowledge；　he　strove
  to　persuade　himself　that　Zanoni　had　at　least　some　sinister　object
  in　inducing　him　to　what　his　English　pride　and　manner　of　thought
  considered　a　derogatory　marriage　with　the　poor　actress。　　Might
  not　Viola　and　the　Mystic　be　in　league　with　each　other？　　Might　not
  all　this　jargon　of　prophecy　and　menace　be　but　artifices　to　dupe
  him？
  He　felt　an　unjust　resentment　towards　Viola　at　having　secured　such
  an　ally。　　But　with　that　resentment　was　mingled　a　natural
  jealousy。　　Zanoni　threatened　him　with　rivalry。　　Zanoni；　who；
  whatever　his　character　or　his　arts；　possessed　at　least　all　the
  external　attributes　that　dazzle　and　command。　　Impatient　of　his
  own　doubts；　he　plunged　into　the　society　of　such　acquaintances　as
  he　had　made　at　Napleschiefly　artists；　like　himself；　men　of
  letters；　and　the　rich　commercialists；　who　were　already　vying　with
  the　splendour；　though　debarred　from　the　privileges；　of　the
  nobles。　　From　these　he　heard　much　of　Zanoni；　already　with　them；
  as　with　the　idler　classes；　an　object　of　curiosity　and
  speculation。
  He　had　noticed；　as　a　thing　remarkable；　that　Zanoni　had　conversed
  with　him　in　English；　and　with　a　command　of　the　language　so
  complete　that　he　might　have　passed　for　a　native。　　On　the　other
  hand；　in　Italian；　Zanoni　was　equally　at　ease。　　Glyndon　found　that
  it　was　the　same　in　languages　less　usually　learned　by　foreigners。
  A　painter　from　Sweden；　who　had　conversed　with　him；　was　positive
  that　he　was　a　Swede；　and　a　merchant　from　Constantinople；　who　had
  sold　some　of　his　goods　to　Zanoni；　professed　his　conviction　that
  none　but　a　Turk；　or　at　least　a　native　of　the　East；　could　have　so
  thoroughly　mastered　the　soft　Oriental　intonations。　　Yet　in　all
  these　languages；　when　they　came　to　compare　their　several
  recollections；　there　was　a　slight；　scarce　perceptible
  distinction；　not　in　pronunciation；　nor　even　accent；　but　in　the
  key　and　chime；　as　it　were；　of　the　voice；　between　himself　and　a
  native。　　This　faculty　was　one　which　Glyndon　called　to　mind；　that
  sect；　whose　tenets　and　powers　have　never　been　more　than　most
  partially　explored；　the　Rosicrucians；　especially　arrogated。　　He
  remembered　to　have　heard　in　Germany　of　the　work　of　John　Bringeret
  （Printed　in　1615。）；　asserting　that　all　the　languages　of　the　earth
  were　known　to　the　genuine　Brotherhood　of　the　Rosy　Cross。　　Did
  Zanoni　belong　to　this　mystical　Fraternity；　who；　in　an　earlier
  age；　boasted　of　secrets　of　which　the　Philosopher's　Stone　was　but
  the　least；　who　considered　themselves　the　heirs　of　all　that　the
  Chaldeans；　the　Magi；　the　Gymnosophists；　and　the　Platonists　had
  taught；　and　who　differed　from　all　the　darker　Sons　of　Magic　in　the
  virtue　of　their　lives；　the　purity　of　their　doctrines；　and　their
  insisting；　as　the　foundation　of　all　wisdom；　on　the　subjugation　of
  the　senses；　and　the　intensity　of　Religious　Faith？a　glorious
  sect；　if　they　lied　not！　　And；　in　truth；　if　Zanoni　had　powers
  beyond　the　race　of　worldly　sages；　they　seemed　not　unworthily
  exercised。　　The　little　known　of　his　life　was　in　his　favour。　　Some
  acts；　not　of　indiscriminate；　but　judicious　generosity　and
  beneficence；　were　recorded；　in　repeating　which；　still；　however；
  the　narrators　shook　their　heads；　and　expressed　surprise　how　a
  stranger　should　have　possessed　so　minute　a　knowledge　of　the　quiet
  and　obscure　distresses　he　had　relieved。　　Two　or　three　sick
  persons；　when　abandoned　by　their　physicians；　he　had　visited；　and
  conferred　with　alone。　　They　had　recovered：　　they　ascribed　to　him
  their　recovery；　yet　they　could　not　tell　by　what　medicines　they
  had　been　healed。　　They　could　only　depose　that　he　came；　conversed
  with　them；　and　they　were　cured；　it　usually；　however；　happened
  that　a　deep　sleep　had　preceded　the　recovery。
  Another　circumstance　was　also　beginning　to　be　remarked；　and　spoke
  yet　more　in　his　commendation。　　Those　with　whom　he　principally
  associatedthe　gay；　the　dissipated；　the　thoughtless；　the　sinners
  and　publicans　of　the　more　polished　worldall　appeared　rapidly；
  yet　insensibly　to　themselves；　to　awaken　to　purer　thoughts　and
  more　regulated　lives。　　Even　Cetoxa；　the　prince　of　gallants；
  duellists；　and　gamesters；　was　no　longer　the　same　man　since　the
  night　of　the　singular　events　which　he　had　related　to　Glyndon。
  The　first　trace　of　his　reform　was　in　his　retirement　from　the
  gaming…houses；　the　next　was　his　reconciliation　with　an　hereditary
  enemy　of　his　house；　whom　it　had　been　his　constant　object　for　the
  last　six　years　to　entangle　in　such　a　quarrel　as　might　call　forth
  his　inimitable　manoeuvre　of　the　stoccata。　　Nor　when　Cetoxa　and
  his　young　companions　were　heard　to　speak　of　Zanoni；　did　it　seem
  that　this　change　had　been　brought　about　by　any　sober　lectures　or
  admonitions。　　They　all　described　Zanoni　as　a　man　keenly　alive　to
  enjoyment：　　of　manners　the　reverse　of　formal；not　precisely　gay；
  but　equable；　serene；　and　cheerful；　ever　ready　to　listen　to　the
  talk　of　others；　however　idle；　or　to　charm　all　ears　with　an
  inexhaustible　fund　of　brilliant　anecdote　and　worldly　experience。
  All　manners；　all　nations；　all　grades　of　men；　seemed　familiar　to
  him。　　He　was　reserved　only　if　allusion　were　ever　ventured　to　his
  birth　or　history。
  The　more　general　opinion　of　his　origin　certainly　seemed　the　more
  plausible。　　His　riches；　his　familiarity　with　the　languages　of　the
  East；　his　residence　in　India；　a　certain　gravity　which　never
  deserted　his　most　cheerful　and　familiar　hours；　the　lustrous
  darkness　of　his　eyes　and　hair；　and　even　the　peculiarities　of　his
  shape；　in　the　delicate　smallness　of　the　hands；　and　the　Arab…like
  turn　of　the　stately　head；　appeared　to　fix　him　as　belonging　to　one
  at　least　of　the　Oriental　races。　　And　a　dabbler　in　the　Eastern
  tongues　even　sought　to　reduce　the　simple　name　of　Zanoni；　which　a
  century　before　had　been　borne　by　an　inoffensive　naturalist　of
  Bologna　（The　author　of　two　works　on　botany　and　rare　plants。）；　to
  the　radicals　of　the　extinct　language。　　Zan　was　unquestionably　the
  Chaldean　appellation　for　the　sun。　　Even　the　Greeks；　who　mutilated
  every　Oriental　name；　had　retained　the　right　one　in　this　case；　as
  the　Cretan　inscription　on　the　tomb　of　Zeus　（Ode　megas　keitai
  Zan。〃Cyril　contra　Julian。〃　　（Here　lies　great　Jove。））
  significantly　showed。　　As　to　the　rest；　the　Zan；　or　Zaun；　was；
  with　the　Sidonians；　no　uncommon　prefix　to　On。　　Adonis　was　but
  another　name　for　Zanonas；　whose　worship　in　Sidon　Hesychius
  records。　　To　this　profound　and　unanswerable　derivation　Mervale
  listened　with　great　attention；　and　observed　that　he　now　ventured
  to　announce　an　erudite　discovery　he　himself　had　long　since　made；…
  …namely；　that　the　numerous　family　of　Smiths　in　England　were
  undoubtedly　the　ancient　priests　of　the　Phrygian　Apollo。　　〃For；〃
  said　he；　〃was　not　Apollo's　surname；　in　Phrygia；　Smintheus？　　How
  clear　all　the　ensuing　corruptions　of