Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-05-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
FOR THE sAzrrrE.

which the Judgment is continually expos
ed 10 error, more frequently over-prized
than the value OF human life, aud the OBJ
jects Of its care DOR ia there any thing
an erroneous estimate Of which is attended
with such lastingIy perDicious consequen.
ces. Too high an idea Of its value, 10.
deed, cannot be entertained, when consid.
cred as that probationary state in which
we are TO make proof of our virtue as re.
ligions beings. But the error intended tc
be considered in these remarks, arises moi
| from this view of human life, but from the
almost universal proneuess to consider at
| teution TO its concerns as the chief end Of
our existence, and even this world itself as
our home, Jour sure abiding place serious
error, indeed aud one subversive no les,
Of our present, than future felicity.
When busted ia the concerns OF the
present moment, or engaged 10 contem-
plating the prospects OF future one, mar
is apt TO attach too much Importance TO the
objects which arrest his attention. This
error, 10 some measure, arises from these
two causes that amidst the hurry OF the
present, his own interest in the events
which daily take place, and the agitation
OF his passions by the incidents which cen
IinuaIly assault them, prevent him from
estimating correctly the real value Of
things: and that IN looking on the future
he contemplates his object through false
medium. Hence il happens in the former
case, that talk as much as he may Of his
cool and dispassionate reflection, his most
deliberate judgment is generally swayed
by prejudice; bis most disinterested at
tachmeDt not subsequently prompted by
seifishness and his bitterest hatred al
most invariably founded on precoDceiyed
antipathies and in the latter, that as any
particular principle or passion of bis ma
ture is the medium through which he be-
holds his object, it is either Increased to
an enormous magnitude or concealed un-
der features altogether unreal.
Thus hope magnifies that to which be
aspires TO an Importance far beyond what
it really possesses; fear adds unreal ter
rors 10 that which is hostile 10 his int
rests; aud prejudice distorts to hideous
deformity whatever it may have led him
10 anticipate with aversion or.disiike-a
Hence II Is, that II is ouly when he
casts his eye back Cd the past, and looks
upon his hopes and fears, his joys and
sorrows, his successes aud defeats, his
friendships and hatreds, after they have
passed by, and the incidents which gave
rise TO them have ceased to agitate him,
that he is ready TO confess. from con
viction of the truth, that his life is but a
dream that he can then only, look
through medium which will neither dis.
tort nor conceal real features; for then
every imaginary ornament falls off, and
every deIusion yanishes.
But though the past presents favora-
Bile subject for reflection, and though man
possesses the power of dwelling upon il
for the correction Of bis misjudgmeDts, and
errors, yet there are few who improve, as
they should, even this privilege ; SO
wholly are men in general engaged in the
dream of the present; or SO enthusiastic
ally wrapt into the visions of the future
In this manner life is made still more ia
tally dream inasmuch as such meI
give themselves no time for the correctioI
Of their errors. Like persons actually il
dream, they are firmly persuaded tina
all is a reality, possessing the full import
ance which their dreaming fancies attacl
to it. Their certainty, however, Of bein.
awake. and their positiveness as TO tn,
value of objects around them, are but tn
depth of their sleep, aud the wildness o
their dream. To the past habitually, t
the present most criminally, and to the fu
ture necessarily, asleep, they continue i
dream away their life; which passes be
fore them apparently substance, in real
ity shadow. Its several states appea
successfully 10 review, and they dream o
nothing in the first; in the secoud--o
toys 10 the third--of pleasure and folly
in the fourth--of greatness aud madness
and in the fifth--of--what ?--little thing
that are past! till at length death come
by and shakes their slumbers off. TheI
| is their dream for ever at an end: the fan
Cital scene closes they awake, and view
the whole as 1t is: imaginary ornament
drop off: the reality bursts forth unob
scured, full Of sound and fury indeed
but notwithstanding Astonishmen
seizes upon them, but too late to correc
their misconceptions; aud they are forced
however reluctantly. TO confess, that al
they have spent it, life Is but too fatally
dream o.
From the Albany Plough Boy.
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