Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-10-12
70 tie Editoy sf the Alewa,.dria H..
THE MORALIST.
HOPE.

In terror paufing, to fome friendIy light. Osad.
How gladlome beats his heart, when ,,,., !,
glade, Inc
Piercing the clouds, he fees the Moons m;,a
Onward he fprings, with Ugh: and Wig roys t, .a
And halls the emprels Of the fainter oay.-
Thus while thro' lite's uncertain path, :,
Should dark dslpondencs fpread the gather.
glooa,
May HopE's fond luftre, freaminp from abou.
D;fpel the bodings of moumful doom:
And when fad fymptoms mlrk my parting b,., i
May Hops's benignant beam iialne che val, ta', u.
death.
HOPE, says DR.. Johnson, is the cb;.e
blessing of man, and that hope only is r.t;
tional OF which we are certain that tcanno.
deceive.
Hope is necessary in every condi,;o,
The miseries of poverty, of sickness oe
captivity, would, without this comfort h.
unsupportable; nor does it appear that the
happiest lot of terrestrial existence can ,st
us above the want of this general BLESSING.
or that life, when the gifts of nature and and
fortune are accumulated upon it, would nor
still be wretched, were it not elevated and
delighted by the expectation Of some new
possession, or some enjoyment yet behind
by which the wish shall be at last satisfied
and the heart filed up to the utmost extent
Yet hope is very fallacious, and promises
what it seldom gives; but its promises are
more valuable than the gifts of fortune, and
it seldom illustrates us without assuring us
of accompanying the delay by great
bounty.
The understanding of man, naturally
sanguine, may easily be vitiated by Che lux
Gus indulgence of hope, however necessary
to the production of every thing great or
excellent, as some plants are destroyed by
too open an exposure to that sun which
gives life and beauty to the vegetable
world.
On the bed of sickness, what is our
greatest comfort? Hope-that we shallre.
cover to prolong, a little longer, the passage
of life; or, should God will it otherwise,
that we are prepared to appear before him
in the world to come: for where there is
no hope, there can be no endeavour, and
without it there can be no caution.
1t is seldom that we find men or places
such as we expect them. He that has pic
tured prospect upon his fancy, willreceive
little pleasure from his eyes-he that has
anticipated the conversation of Wit, will
wonder to what prejudice he owes his repu.
tation. Yet it is necessary to hope, though
hope should always be deluded; for hope
itselfis happiness, and its Illustrations how
ever frequent, are yet less dreadful than its
extinction.
Our powers owe much Of their energy
to our hobes; possunt quid posse viden-
sweet HoPa that RiIl with fond delctive dfesns,
Cheer'a the fad hears furcharged with gflef and
care,
My anguih'd mind longs for,thotc healing ffesms
Which flow from thee, and charm beyond con-
pare.
0 deign TO yi6t then my lonely cell,
And breathe thy influence on my wearied fouls
Come, plcaflng fatterer, and fmiling tell, !
That yet my hours in happnels may roll
That fortunes copious tide again lhall flow;
That friends fhal fmiIe, and enemies repent;
That as in years ll1alI in wifdom grow,
And find each moment srown'd with iweet con'
tent.
To the Editor eftte Alexandria AaOertiss''
SIR,
Observing lately several pleasing essays n
your Paper, denominated fragments, and oe'',
myself IN almirec of that species of writing, s7i'.
you an ancient m,yceaa taken from an old Ei'Sl''"
publication, and which doubt not will De as a.
greeable to your readers, as Improved to
Your constant reader,
J.