I looked and trembled—­I should have sunk yet further backward, had not Azul and my Angel-guide held me with their light yet forcible clasp.  My heart fails me now as I try to write of that tremendous, that sublime scene—­the Centre of the Universe—­the Cause of all Creation.  How unlike Heaven such as we in our ignorance have tried to depict! though it is far better we should have a mistaken idea than none at all.  What I beheld was a circle, so huge that no mortal measurements could compass it—­a wide Ring composed of seven colours, rainbow-like, but flashing with perpetual motion and brilliancy, as though a thousand million suns were for ever being woven into it to feed its transcendent lustre.  From every part of this Ring darted long broad shafts of light, some of which stretched out so far that I could not see where they ended; sometimes a bubbling shower of lightning sparks would be flung out on the pure ether, and this would instantly form into circles, small or great, and whirl round and round the enormous girdle of flame from which they had been cast, with the most inconceivable rapidity.  But wonderful as the Ring was, it encompassed a Sphere yet more marvellous and dazzling; a great Globe of opal-tinted light, revolving as it were upon its own axis, and ever surrounded by that scintillating, jewel-like wreath of electricity, whose only motion was to shine and burn within itself for ever.  I could not bear to look upon the brightness of that magnificent central World—­so large that multiplying the size of the sun by a hundred thousand millions, no adequate idea could be formed of its vast proportions.  And ever it revolved—­and ever the Rainbow Ring around it glittered and cast forth those other rings which I knew now were living solar systems cast forth from that electric band as a volcano casts forth fire and lava.  My Angel-guide motioned me to look towards that side of the Ring which was nearest to the position of the Earth.  I looked, and perceived that there the shafts of descending light formed themselves as they fell into the shape of a Cross.  At this, such sorrow, love, and shame overcame me, that I knew not where to turn.  I murmured: 

“Send me back again, dear Angel—­send me back to that Star of Sorrow and Error!  Let me hasten to make amends there for all my folly—­let me try to teach others what now I know.  I am unworthy to be here beside thee—­I am unfit to look on yonder splendid World—­let me return to do penance for my sins and shortcomings; for what am I that God should bless me? and though I should consume myself in labour and suffering, how can I ever hope to deserve the smallest place in that heavenly glory I now partly behold?” And could spirits shed tears, I should have wept with remorse and grief.

Azul spoke, softly and tenderly: 

“Now thou dost believe—­henceforth thou must love!  Love alone can pass yon flaming barrier—­love alone can gain for thee eternal bliss.  In love and for love were all things made—­God loveth His creatures, even so let His creatures love Him, and so shall the twain be drawn together.”