Poe, Edgar Allen / 2008-06-28 00:00:00

1850
THE POWER OF WORDS
by Edgar Allan Poe
OINOS. Pardon, Agathos, the weakness of a spirit new-fledged with
immortality!
AGATHOS. You have spoken nothing, my Oinos, for which pardon is to
be demanded. Not even here is knowledge thing of intuition. For
wisdom, ask of the angels freely, that it may be given!
OINOS. But in this existence, I dreamed that I should be at once
cognizant of all things, and thus at once be happy in being
cognizant of all.
AGATHOS. Ah, not in knowledge is happiness, but in the acquisition
of knowledge! In for ever knowing, we are for ever blessed; but to
know all were the curse of a fiend.
OINOS. But does not The Most High know all?
AGATHOS. That (since he is The Most Happy) must be still the one
thing unknown even to Him.
OINOS. But, since we grow hourly in knowledge, must not at last
all things be known?
AGATHOS. Look down into the abysmal distances!- attempt to force the
gaze down the multitudinous vistas of the stars, as we sweep slowly
through them thus- and thus- and thus! Even the spiritual vision, is
it not at all points arrested by the continuous golden walls of the
universe?- the walls of the myriads of the shining bodies that mere
number has appeared to blend into unity?
OINOS. I clearly perceive that the infinity of matter is no dream.
AGATHOS. There are no dreams in Aidenn- but it is here whispered
that, of this infinity of matter, the sole purpose is to afford
infinite springs, at which the soul may allay the thirst to know,
which is for ever unquenchable within it- since to quench it, would be
to extinguish the soul's self.
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