14
On the Eternal Fire of Hell.
lives that we may never have to suffer in such a fire; for our fate in that respect depends on ourselves.
Even pleasure, when too protracted, becomes a pain.
Even a pleasure, a delight, an entertaining play, delightful music, as I have elsewhere said, and as experience proves, becomes after a time a source of weariness and discomfort. For instance, what can be more comfortable than to lie in a soft bed of down? Yet try what it would be to lie in a bed of that kind for seven or eight hours at a stretch, on one side and fully awake; you will soon see that even such a comfortable position becomes intolerable after a short time. Wonderful was the plan employed by a certain pious king to bring to a better way of life a courtier of his, who was living rather carelessly. He invited the man to court on a certain day, to spend the time with him in all kinds of amusements. Early in the morning he got up a grand hunting-party that lasted for a considerable time; immediately after there was a game at ball for some hours, and finally he was invited to witness a play. The courtier; wearied with such a round of amusements, was anxious to go home, but out of courtesy he had to follow the king, who went to the play. The performance lasted four hours; God be praised, he thought, at last there is an end of it! But he was mistaken; for hardly had he left the play-house when he was asked to go and hear a grand company of foreign musicians; the invitation was rather pressing, and in spite of his reluctance the poor man was obliged to accept. It seems, he said to himself with vexation, as if the king wished to put an end to me by sheer force of pleasure-seeking to-day; if another invitation follows this one, and I sincerely hope such will not be the case, it will surely finish me. But he was again disappointed; the fifth invitation came; as evening approached a ball was given in the palace, and he was told that the king awaited him, and expected him to supper afterwards. Alas, said the poor man, what is to become of me! Is there nothing but dancing for me now, and I am almost dead from fatigue? I am so tired, I can hardly stand! Your majesty, he exclaimed at length, I am most grateful for your extreme kindness to me, but for God’s sake grant me a little rest; I feel quite faint. How could one expect to stand eighteen hours of amusement without a rest? What, replied the king; is that too much for you? Do you find eighteen hours of constantly changing amusement too much! If so, how will it be with you hereafter, in case you have to go to hell and spend a long eternity in unin-