Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-03-07
FOR THE GAZETTE.


Multa ferunt ami venientes commoda secum
Muita recedentes adimunt. HoRAcE.
Like bees our years arrive, with sweets in store;
Like thieves they leave us, loaded as before.
FUTURIrY is like country, which un-
navigable seas forbid mankind to explore
dark, imperyious, aud unknown. Il
is the country Of the years. lis bosom Is
the storehouse, whence its winged inhabi.
tants convey'to man bis portion OF lis ex
haustiess stores Of good and evil. AS they
approach, and while still at distance,
anticipation paints the cumbrons mass
which they bear in all the exaggerated
colours that fancy can supply; and inpa-
tient desire stands on tptoe as it awaits
their arrival. Years, however, hasten not
their pace. Regular in their movements
they bear along the majestic burthen,
which, when unfolded, is to astonisb OF
coniound, delight or disgust, bless or reu-
der miserable, world. In their appoint
ed time, they touch upon cur shores, and
we hail their arrival with emotions OF JOY
They arrive indeed; and what do they
bring ?-Some of the objects Of cur ex-
pectations, perhaps; strength, activity,
experience, knowledge; riches to some,
to others fame, friends, lovers, pleasures.
But, like deep,freighted ships, they too
depart. And what do they take away
Many of the objects of our hopes, our
friends, cur lovers sometimes our riches
and our fame; ofteutimes our strength aud
activity; and finally, having dinmed the
lustre Of our boosted wisdom and know.
ledge by the chill damps of age, they leave
us as they found us; OF, if aught remain
to testify Of them, It's the furrow on our
heek,--the thin, boar covering of our
heads. II to our youth they bring round
of pleasures and amusements, they take
away the sports and innocence Of child
hood iii to our manhood they bring the
knowledge of mind mature, clustering
around us, like the ripe fruits OF autumn
around their native stems; if they bring
us fame with all the blessings of social
life; they take away the pleasures OF
youth, its sprightliness and beauty, its
freedom from care, its gay visions OF hap
piness, lis artiour OF friendship and love
and if to our old age they bring its length
ened term, they take away all they ever
gave before; and man at last drops in,o
the tomb, and leaves the world with no.
thing, save what he brought with hiln,--a
body and soul.
Amidst the infinite variety of events
which mark the progress of our years, the
change frequently produced in the relative
situation Of friends is worthy of remark.
While their lives flow along, as if in one
common chanuel, they are pleasant indeed,
and their years pass sweetly away. But
when some unexpected occurrence compeis
them to pursue each different course, an
other scene ensues for though one fire.
quently continues to lead peaceful aud
successful life, the other as frequently
finds himself beset with some of the sharp
est ills which can assaiI the heart of man.
So two pure streams, which issue from
adjacent hills, and haste to mingle their
kindred waters in the vale below, after
rolling for time their limpid currents
through the flowery mead, or gurgling with
harmonious murmurs among the smooth
pebbles of their common bed, are sepa-
rated by some rugged cliff: and while one
still continues to wind its undisturbed way
along the fowery vale, the other is COM
PEELED to force its turbid waters through a
marshy waste; TO dash its disordered
stream over frighiful precipices; or pursue
a lonely course through trackless and I'M
measurable solitdes.
Thus pass our years away. Thus amidst
the alternate push Of life's conflicting waves
they carry US along; if sometimes high, at
others low; If sometimes through simple
calm, at others DER the storm sublime.
Then, what is life ? A concateuation of
discordaut events; series of successes
aud disappointmeuts Of quie, aud com
motion of happiness and woe com
pound, 10 which, though much good be
mingled, the principal ingredient is the
bitterness of evil. And yet, il is this
which takes SO deep hold upon the feel
ings Of our nature; it is this to which,
notwithstanding our belief in state Of less
varying, and more satisfying good, we
nevertheless cling with all the eagerness
of hope, all the ardour Of affection. S.