wayward，notintemper，forthatwassweetanddocile；butinhermoods，which，asIbeforehinted，changedfromsadtogayandgaytosadwithoutanapparentcause。Ifcausetherewere，itmustbetracedtotheearlyandmysteriousinfluencesIhavereferredto，whenseekingtoexplaintheeffectproducedonherimaginationbythoserestlessstreamsofsoundthatconstantlyplayedaroundit；foritisnoticeablethattothosewhoaremuchalivetotheeffectsofmusic，airsandtunesoftencomeback，inthecommonestpursuitsoflife，tovex，asitwere，andhauntthem。Themusic，onceadmittedtothesoul，becomesalsoasortofspirit，andneverdies。Itwandersperturbedlythroughthehallsandgalleriesofthememory，andisoftenheardagain，distinctandlivingaswhenitfirstdisplacedthewaveletsoftheair。Nowattimes，then，thesephantomsofsoundfloatedbackuponherfancy；ifgay，tocallasmilefromeverydimple；
ifmournful，tothrowashadeuponherbrow，——tomakeherceasefromherchildishmirth，andsitapartandmuse。
Rightly，then，inatypicalsense，mightthisfaircreature，soairyinhershape，soharmoniousinherbeauty，sounfamiliarinherwaysandthoughts，——rightlymightshebecalledadaughter，lessofthemusicianthanthemusic，abeingforwhomyoucouldimaginethatsomefatewasreserved，lessofactuallifethantheromancewhich，toeyesthatcansee，andheartsthatcanfeel，glideseveralongWITHtheactuallife，streambystream，totheDarkOcean。
AndthereforeitseemednotstrangethatViolaherself，eveninchildhood，andyetmoreasshebloomedintothesweetseriousnessofvirginyouth，shouldfancyherlifeordainedforalot，whetherofblissorwoe，thatshouldaccordwiththeromanceandreveriewhichmadetheatmosphereshebreathed。FrequentlyshewouldclimbthroughthethicketsthatclothedtheneighbouringgrottoofPosilipo，——themightyworkoftheoldCimmerians，——and，seatedbythehauntedTombofVirgil，indulgethosevisions，thesubtlevaguenessofwhichnopoetrycanrenderpalpableanddefined；forthePoetthatsurpassesallwhoeversang，istheheartofdreamingyouth!Frequentlythere，too，besidethethresholdoverwhichthevine-leavesclung，andfacingthatdark-blue，wavelesssea，shewouldsitintheautumnnoonorsummertwilight，andbuildhercastlesintheair。Whodothnotdothesame，——notinyouthalone，butwiththedimmedhopesofage!Itisman\'sprerogativetodream，thecommonroyaltyofpeasantandofking。Butthoseday-dreamsofhersweremorehabitual，distinct，andsolemnthanthegreaterpartofusindulge。TheyseemedliketheOramaoftheGreeks，——prophetswhilephantasma。
CHAPTER1。II。