Iknownotwhetheritweretheexcitementofthescene，or
　　whetherthegoodpeoplearoundthebonfirewerereallygrowingmore
　　enlightenedeveryinstant；buttheynowproceededtomeasures，in
　　thefulllengthofwhichIwashardlypreparedtokeepthemcompany。
　　Forinstance，somethrewtheirmarriagecertificatesintothe
　　flames，anddeclaredthemselvescandidatesforahigher，holier，and
　　morecomprehensiveunionthanthatwhichhadsubsistedfromthe
　　birthoftime，undertheformoftheconnubialtie。Othershastenedto
　　thevaultsofbanks，andtothecoffersoftherich-allofwhichwere
　　opentothefirstcomer，onthisfatedoccasion-andbroughtentire
　　balesofpaper-moneytoenliventheblaze，andtonsofcointobe
　　melteddownbyitsintensity。Henceforth，theysaid，universal
　　benevolence，uncoinedandexhaustless，wastobethegoldencurrency
　　oftheworld。Atthisintelligence，thebankers，andspeculatorsin
　　thestocks，grewpale；andapickpocket，whohadreapedarichharvest
　　amongthecrowd，felldowninadeadlyfainting-fit。Afewmenof
　　businessburnttheirday-booksandledgers，thenotesand
　　obligationsoftheircreditors，andallotherevidencesofdebtsdue
　　tothemselves；whileperhapsasomewhatlargernumbersatisfied
　　theirzealforreformwiththesacrificeofanyuncomfortable
　　recollectionoftheirownindebtment。Therewasthenacry，thatthe
　　periodwasarrivedwhenthetitle-deedsoflandedpropertyshouldbe
　　giventotheflames，andthewholesoiloftheearthreverttothe
　　public，fromwhomithadbeenwrongfullyabstracted，andmost
　　unequallydistributedamongindividuals。Anotherpartydemandedthat
　　allwrittenconstitutions，setformsofgovernment，legislative
　　acts，statute-books，andeverythingelseonwhichhumaninvention
　　hadendeavoredtostampitsarbitrarylaws，shouldatoncebe
　　destroyed，leavingtheconsummatedworldasfreeasthemanfirst
　　created。
　　Whetheranyultimateactionwastakenwithregardtothese
　　propositions，isbeyondmyknowledge；for，justthen，somematters
　　wereinprogressthatconcernedmysympathiesmorenearly。
　　“See！see！whatheapsofbooksandpamphlets！”criedafellow，
　　whodidnotseemtobealoverofliterature。“Nowweshallhavea
　　gloriousblaze！”
　　“That’sjustthething。”saidamodernphilosopher。“Nowweshall
　　getridoftheweightofdeadmen’sthought，whichhashitherto
　　pressedsoheavilyonthelivingintellectthatithasbeen
　　incompetenttoanyeffectualself-exertion。Welldone，mylads！Into
　　thefirewiththem！Nowyouareenlighteningtheworld，indeed！”
　　“ButwhatistobecomeoftheTrade？”criedafranticbookseller。
　　“Oh，byallmeans，letthemaccompanytheirmerchandise。”coolly
　　observedanauthor。“Itwillbeanoblefuneralpile！”
　　Thetruthwas，thatthehumanracehadnowreachedastageof
　　progresssofarbeyondwhatthewisestandwittiestmenofformerages
　　hadeverdreamedof，thatitwouldhavebeenamanifestabsurdityto
　　allowtheearthtobeanylongerencumberedwiththeirpoor
　　achievementsintheliteraryline。Accordingly，athoroughand
　　searchinginvestigationhadsweptthebooksellers’shops，hawkers’
　　stands，publicandprivatelibraries，andeventhelittlebook-shelf
　　bythecountryfireside，andhadbroughttheworld’sentiremassof
　　printedpaper，boundorinsheets，toswellthealready
　　mountain-bulkofourillustriousbonfire。Thick，heavyfolios，
　　containingthelaborsoflexicographers，commentators，and
　　encyclopedists，wereflungin，and，fallingamongtheemberswitha
　　leadenthump，smoulderedawaytoashes，likerottenwood。Thesmall，
　　richlygiltFrenchtomesofthelastage，withthehundredvolumes
　　ofVoltaireamongthem，wentoffinabrilliantshowerofsparkles，
　　andlittlejetsofflame；whilethecurrentliteratureofthesame
　　nationburntredandblue，andthrewaninfernallightoverthe
　　visagesofthespectators，convertingthemalltotheaspectof
　　parti-coloredfiends。AcollectionofGermanstoriesemittedascent
　　ofbrimstone。TheEnglishstandardauthorsmadeexcellentfuel，
　　generallyexhibitingthepropertiesofsoundoaklogs。Milton’sworks，
　　inparticular，sentupapowerfulblaze，graduallyreddeningintoa
　　coal，whichpromisedtoendurelongerthanalmostanyothermaterial
　　ofthepile。FromShakspearetheregushedaflameofsuchmarvellous
　　splendorthatmenshadedtheireyesasagainstthesun’smeridian
　　glory；norevenwhentheworksofhisownelucidatorswereflung
　　uponhimdidheceasetoflashforthadazzlingradiancefrom
　　beneaththeponderousheap。Itismybeliefthatheisstillblazing
　　asfervidlyasever。
　　“Couldapoetbutlightalampatthatgloriousflame。”remarkedI，
　　“hemightthenconsumethemidnightoiltosomegoodpurpose。”
　　“Thatistheverythingwhichmodernpoetshavebeentooapttodo，
　　oratleasttoattempt。”answeredacritic。“Thechiefbenefittobe
　　expectedfromthisconflagrationofpastliteratureundoubtedlyis，
　　thatwriterswillhenceforthbecompelledtolighttheirlampsat
　　thesunorstars。”
　　“Iftheycanreachsohigh。”saidI。“Butthattaskrequiresa
　　giant，whomayafterwarddistributethelightamonginferiormen。It
　　isnoteveryonethatcanstealthefirefromheaven，like
　　Prometheus；butwhenoncehehaddonethedeed，athousandhearths
　　werekindledbyit。”
　　Itamazedmemuchtoobservehowindefinitewastheproportion
　　betweenthephysicalmassofanygivenauthor，andthepropertyof
　　brilliantandlong-continuedcombustion。Forinstance，therewasnota
　　quartovolumeofthelastcentury-nor，indeed，ofthepresent-that
　　couldcompete，inthatparticular，withachild’slittle
　　gilt-coveredbook，containingMotherGoose’sMelodies。TheLifeand
　　DeathofTomThumboutlastedthebiographyofMarlborough。Anepic-
　　indeed，adozenofthem-wasconvertedtowhiteashes，beforethe
　　singlesheetofanoldballadwashalfconsumed。Inmorethanone
　　case，too，whenvolumesofapplaudedverseprovedincapableof
　　anythingbetterthanastiflingsmoke，anunregardeddittyofsome
　　namelessbard-perchanceinthecornerofanewspaper-soaredupamong
　　thestars，withaflameasbrilliantastheirown。Speakingofthe
　　propertiesofflame，methoughtShelley’spoetryemittedapurer
　　lightthanalmostanyotherproductionsofhisday；contrasting
　　beautifullywiththefitfulandluridgleams，andgushesofblack
　　vapor，thatflashedandeddiedfromthevolumesofLordByron。As
　　forTomMoore，someofhissongsdiffusedanodorlikeaburning
　　pastille。
　　IfeltparticularinterestinwatchingthecombustionofAmerican
　　authors，andscrupulouslynoted，bymywatch，theprecisenumberof
　　momentsthatchangedmostofthemfromshabbilyprintedbooksto
　　indistinguishableashes。Itwouldbeinvidious，however，ifnot
　　perilous，tobetraytheseawfulsecrets；sothatIshallcontent
　　myselfwithobserving，thatitwasnotinvariablythewritermost
　　frequentinthepublicmouththatmadethemostsplendidappearancein
　　thebonfire。Iespeciallyremember，thatagreatdealofexcellent
　　inflammabilitywasexhibitedinathinvolumeofpoemsbyEllery
　　Channing；although，tospeakthetruth，therewerecertainportions
　　thathissedandsplutteredinaverydisagreeablefashion。Acurious
　　phenomenonoccurredinreferencetoseveralwriters，nativeaswellas
　　foreign。Theirbooks，thoughofhighlyrespectablefigure，instead
　　ofburstingintoablaze，orevensmoulderingouttheirsubstancein
　　smoke，suddenlymeltedaway，inamannerthatprovedthemtobeice。
　　Ifitbenolackofmodestytomentionmyownworks，itmusthere
　　beconfessed，thatIlookedforthemwithfatherlyinterest，butin
　　vain。Tooprobably，theywerechangedtovaporbythefirstaction
　　oftheheat；atbest，Icanonlyhopethat，intheirquietway，they
　　contributedaglimmeringsparkortwotothesplendoroftheevening。
　　“Alas！andwoisme！”thusbemoanedhimselfaheavy-looking
　　gentlemaningreenspectacles。“Theworldisutterlyruined，andthere
　　isnothingtoliveforanylonger！Thebusinessofmylifeissnatched
　　fromme。Notavolumetobehadforloveormoney！”
　　“This。”remarkedthesedateobserverbesideme，“isabook-worm-
　　oneofthosemenwhoareborntognawdeadthoughts。Hisclothes，
　　yousee，arecoveredwiththedustoflibraries。Hehasnoinward
　　fountainofideas；and，ingoodearnest，nowthattheoldstockis
　　abolished，Idonotseewhatistobecomeofthepoorfellow。Haveyou
　　nowordofcomfortforhim？”
　　“Mydearsir。”saidI，tothedesperatebook-worm，“isnotNature
　　betterthanabook？isnotthehumanheartdeeperthananysystemof
　　philosophy？isnotliferepletewithmoreinstructionthanpast
　　observershavefounditpossibletowritedowninmaxims？Beofgood
　　cheer！ThegreatbookofTimeisstillspreadwideopenbeforeus；
　　and，ifwereaditaright，itwillbetousavolumeofeternal
　　Truth。”
　　“Oh，mybooks，mybooks，myprecious，printedbooks！”reiterated
　　theforlornbook-worm。“Myonlyrealitywasaboundvolume；andnow
　　theywillnotleavemeevenashadowypamphlet！”
　　Infact，thelastremnantoftheliteratureofalltheageswasnow
　　descendingupontheblazingheap，intheshapeofacloudofpamphlets
　　fromthepressoftheNewWorld。These，likewise，wereconsumedinthe
　　twinklingofaneye，leavingtheearth，forthefirsttimesincethe
　　daysofCadmus，freefromtheplagueofletters-anenviablefieldfor
　　theauthorsofthenextgeneration！
　　“Well！anddoesanythingremaintobedone？”inquiredI，somewhat
　　anxiously。“Unlesswesetfiretotheearthitself，andthenleap
　　boldlyoffintoinfinitespace，Iknownotthatwecancarryreformto
　　anyfurtherpoint。”
　　“Youarevastlymistaken，mygoodfriend。”saidtheobserver。
　　“Believeme，thefirewillnotbeallowedtosettledownwithoutthe
　　additionoffuelthatwillstartlemanypersons，whohavelenta
　　willinghandthusfar。”
　　Nevertheless，thereappearedtobearelaxationofeffort，fora
　　littletime，duringwhich，probably，theleadersofthemovement
　　wereconsideringwhatshouldbedonenext。Intheinterval，a
　　philosopherthrewhistheoryintotheflames；asacrificewhich，by
　　thosewhoknewhowtoestimateit，waspronouncedthemost
　　remarkablethathadyetbeenmade。Thecombustion，however，wasby
　　nomeansbrilliant。Someindefatigablepeople，scorningtotakea
　　moment’sease，nowemployedthemselvesincollectingallthe
　　witheredleavesandfallenboughsoftheforest，andtherebyrecruited
　　thebonfiretoagreaterheightthanever。Butthiswasmereby-play。
　　“HerecomesthefreshfuelthatIspokeof。”saidmycompanion。
　　Tomyastonishment，thepersonswhonowadvancedintothevacant
　　spacearoundthemountainfire，boresurplicesandotherpriestly
　　garments，mitres，crosiers，andaconfusionofPopishandProtestant
　　emblems，withwhichitseemedtheirpurposetoconsummatethegreat
　　ActofFaith。Crosses，fromthespiresofoldcathedrals，werecast
　　upontheheapwithaslittleremorseasifthereverenceofcenturies，
　　passinginlongarraybeneaththeloftytowers，hadnotlookedupto
　　themastheholiestofsymbols。Thefont，inwhichinfantswere
　　consecratedtoGod；thesacramentalvessels，whencePietyreceivedthe
　　halloweddraught；weregiventothesamedestruction。Perhapsit
　　mostnearlytouchedmyhearttosee，amongthesedevotedrelics，
　　fragmentsofthehumblecommunion-tablesandundecoratedpulpits，
　　whichIrecognizedashavingbeentornfromthemeeting-housesof
　　NewEngland。Thosesimpleedificesmighthavebeenpermittedtoretain
　　allofsacredembellishmentthattheirPuritanfoundershad
　　bestowed，eventhoughthemightystructureofSt。Peter’shadsentits
　　spoilstothefireofthisterriblesacrifice。YetIfeltthatthese
　　werebuttheexternalsofreligion，andmightmostsafelybe
　　relinquishedbyspiritsthatbestknewtheirdeepsignificance。
　　“Alliswell。”saidIcheerfully。“Thewood-pathsshallbethe
　　aislesofourcathedral-thefirmamentitselfshallbeitsceiling！
　　WhatneedsanearthlyroofbetweentheDeityandhisworshippers？
　　Ourfaithcanwellaffordtoloseallthedraperythateventhe
　　holiestmenhavethrownaroundit，andbeonlythemoresublimeinits
　　simplicity。”
　　“True。”saidmycompanion。“Butwilltheypausehere？”