A New Mare Internum

           AtfirstIcouldhardlyseeanything.Myeyes,unaccustomedtothelight,quicklyclosed.WhenIwasabletoreopenthem,Istoodmorestupefiedeventhansurprised.

           "Thesea!"Icried.

           "Yes,"myunclereplied,"theLiedenbrockSea;andIdon’tsupposeanyotherdiscovererwilleverdisputemyclaimtonameitaftermyselfasitsfirstdiscoverer."

           Avastsheetofwater,thecommencementofalakeoranocean,spreadfarawaybeyondtherangeoftheeye,remindingmeforciblyofthatopenseawhichdrewfromXenophon’stenthousandGreeks,aftertheirlongretreat,thesimultaneouscry,"Thalatta!thalatta!"thesea!thesea!Thedeeplyindentedshorewaslinedwithabreadthoffineshiningsand,softlylappedbythewaves,andstrewnwiththesmallshellswhichhadbeeninhabitedbythefirstofcreatedbeings.Thewavesbrokeonthisshorewiththehollowechoingmurmurpeculiartovastinclosedspaces.Alightfoamflewoverthewavesbeforethebreathofamoderatebreeze,andsomeofthesprayfelluponmyface.Onthisslightlyincliningshore,aboutahundredfathomsfromthelimitofthewaves,camedownthefootofahugewallofvastcliffs,whichrosemajesticallytoanenormousheight.Someofthese,dividingthebeachwiththeirsharpspurs,formedcapesandpromontories,wornawaybytheceaselessactionofthesurf.Fartherontheeyediscernedtheirmassiveoutlinesharplydefinedagainstthehazydistanthorizon.

           Itwasquiteanocean,withtheirregularshoresofearth,butdesertandfrightfullywildinappearance.

           Ifmyeyeswereabletorangeafaroverthisgreatsea,itwasbecauseapeculiarlightbroughttovieweverydetailofit.

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