Providence, and his sad and sour dissent from those systems of
religion or philosophy which either find sunshine in the world or
draw it down from heaven.

The task of inviting the guests, or of selecting among such as might
advance their claims to partake of this dismal hospitality, was
confided to the two trustees or stewards of the fund. These
gentlemen, like their deceased friend, were sombre humorists, who
made it their principal occupation to number the sable threads in
the web of human life, and drop all the golden ones out of the
reckoning. They performed their present office with integrity and
judgment. The aspect of the assembled company, on the day of the
first festival, might not, it is true, have satisfied every beholder
that these were especially the individuals, chosen forth from all
the world, whose griefs were worthy to stand as indicators of the
mass of human suffering. Yet, after due consideration, it could not
be disputed that here was a variety of hopeless discomfort, which,
if it sometimes arose from causes apparently inadequate, was thereby
only the shrewder imputation against the nature and mechanism of
life.

The arrangements and decorations of the banquet were probably
intended to signify that death in life which had been the testator's
definition of existence. The hall, illuminated by torches, was hung
round with curtains of deep and dusky purple, and adorned with
branches of cypress and wreaths of artificial flowers, imitative of
such as used to be strewn over the dead. A sprig of parsley was
laid by every plate. The main reservoir of wine, was a sepulchral
urn of silver, whence the liquor was distributed around the table in
small vases, accurately copied from those that held the tears of