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effulgent rays that the two Seers were paralyzed。
Like the three apostles to whom Jesus showed himself； they felt the
dead weight of their bodies which denied them a complete and cloudless
intuition of THE WORD and THE TRUE LIFE。
They comprehended the nakedness of their souls； they were able to
measure the poverty of their light by comparing ita humbling task
with the halo of the SERAPH。
A passionate desire to plunge back into the mire of earth and suffer
trial took possession of them；trial through which they might
victoriously utter at the SACRED GATES the words of that radiant
Seraph。
The Seraph knelt before the SANCTUARY； beholding it； at last； face to
face； and he said； raising his hands thitherward； 〃Grant that these
two may have further sight； they will love the Lord and proclaim His
word。〃
At this prayer a veil fell。 Whether it were that the hidden force
which held the Seers had momentarily annihilated their physical
bodies； or that it raised their spirits above those bodies； certain it
is that they felt within them a rending of the pure from the impure。
The tears of the Seraph rose about them like a vapor； which hid the
lower worlds from their knowledge； held them in its folds； bore them
upwards； gave them forgetfulness of earthly meanings and the power of
comprehending the meanings of things divine。
The True Light shone； it illumined the Creations； which seemed to them
barren when they saw the source from which all worldsTerrestrial；
Spiritual； and Divine…derived their Motion。
Each world possessed a centre to which converged all points of its
circumference。 These worlds were themselves the points which moved
toward the centre of their system。 Each system had its centre in great
celestial regions which communicated with the flaming and quenchless
MOTOR OF ALL THAT IS。
Thus； from the greatest to the smallest of the worlds； and from the
smallest of the worlds to the smallest portion of the beings who
compose it； all was individual； and all was； nevertheless； One and
indivisible。
What was the design of the Being； fixed in His essence and in His
faculties； who transmitted that essence and those faculties without
losing them？ who manifested them outside of Himself without separating
them from Himself？ who rendered his creations outside of Himself fixed
in their essence and mutable in their form？ The pair thus called to
the celestial festival could only see the order and arrangement of
created beings and admire the immediate result。 The Angels alone see
more。 They know the means； they comprehend the final end。
But what the two Elect were granted power to contemplate； what they
were able to bring back as a testimony which enlightened their minds
forever after； was the proof of the action of the Worlds and of
Beings； the consciousness of the effort with which they all converge
to the Result。
They heard the divers parts of the Infinite forming one living melody；
and each time that the accord made itself felt like a mighty
respiration； the Worlds drawn by the concordant movement inclined
themselves toward the Supreme Being who； from His impenetrable centre；
issued all things and recalled all things to Himself。
This ceaseless alternation of voices and silence seemed the rhythm of
the sacred hymn which resounds and prolongs its sound from age to age。
Wilfrid and Minna were enabled to understand some of the mysterious
sayings of Him who had appeared on earth in the form which to each of
them had rendered him comprehensible；to one Seraphitus； to the other
Seraphita；for they saw that all was homogeneous in the sphere where
he now was。
Light gave birth to melody； melody gave birth to light； colors were
light and melody； motion was a Number endowed with Utterance； all
things were at once sonorous； diaphanous； and mobile； so that each
interpenetrated the other； the whole vast area was unobstructed and
the Angels could survey it from the depths of the Infinite。
They perceived the puerility of human sciences； of which he had spoken
to them。
The scene was to them a prospect without horizon； a boundless space
into which an all…consuming desire prompted them to plunge。 But；
fastened to their miserable bodies； they had the desire without the
power to fulfil it。
The SERAPH； preparing for his flight； no longer looked towards them；
he had nothing now in common with Earth。
Upward he rose； the shadow of his luminous presence covered the two
Seers like a merciful veil； enabling them to raise their eyes and see
him； rising in his glory to Heaven in company with the glad Archangel。
He rose as the sun from the bosom of the Eastern waves； but； more
majestic than the orb and vowed to higher destinies； he could not be
enchained like inferior creations in the spiral movement of the
worlds； he followed the line of the Infinite； pointing without
deviation to the One Centre； there to enter his eternal life；to
receive there； in his faculties and in his essence； the power to enjoy
through Love； and the gift of comprehending through Wisdom。
The scene which suddenly unveiled itself to the eyes of the two Seers
crushed them with a sense of its vastness； they felt like atoms； whose
minuteness was not to be compared even to the smallest particle which
the infinite of divisibility enabled the mind of man to imagine；
brought into the presence of the infinite of Numbers； which God alone
can comprehend as He alone can comprehend Himself。
Strength and Love！ what heights； what depths in those two entities；
whom the Seraph's first prayer placed like two links； as it were； to
unite the immensities of the lower worlds with the immensity of the
higher universe！
They comprehended the invisible ties by which the material worlds are
bound to the spiritual worlds。 Remembering the sublime efforts of
human genius； they were able to perceive the principle of all melody
in the songs of heaven which gave sensations of color； of perfume； of
thought； which recalled the innumerable details of all creations； as
the songs of earth revive the infinite memories of love。
Brought by the exaltation of their faculties to a point that cannot be
described in any language； they were able to cast their eyes for an
instant into the Divine World。 There all was Rejoicing。
Myriads of angels were flocking together； without confusion； all alike
yet all dissimilar； simple as the flower of the fields； majestic as
the universe。
Wilfrid and Minna saw neither their coming nor their going； they
appeared suddenly in the Infinite and filled it with their presence；
as the stars shine in the invisible ether。
The scintillations of their united diadems illumined space like the
fires of the sky at dawn upon the mountains。 Waves of light flowed
from their hair； and their movements created tremulous undulations in
space like the billows of a phosphorescent sea。
The two Seers beheld