This had lasted for several days and nights,
when at length quite unexpectedly I received a note from Archivarius
Lindhorst, in which he addressed me as follows:
"Respected Sir--It is well known to me that you have written down, in
Eleven Vigils, the singular fortunes of my good son-in-law Anselmus,
whilom student, now poet; and are at present cudgeling your brains
very sore, that in the Twelfth and Last 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.
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