Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-01-09
| tina. great Being, who surveyed the works


OF his bene6cence, and pronounced them
g good" but arising from those inhe-
rent Imperiections, that unavoidable clash
ing OF discordant materials, and that
ceaseless jsrgon of opposite and con
tending principles, SO hrtBly rooted IN
the constitution of our natures, "moul'
dering eartbward," and SO inseperao'y,
included, in the very connection OF m'nd
with matter The laws by which these
are governed are, and ever will beslm-
muta bly, the same, as similar effects must
eternaIly flow from similar causes -,
How weak then, must be that short sight.
ed and presumptIous philosophy. who
would teach us 10 believe in the al
tanmeDt of the bubble, happiness, from,
any source, while condemned to wander
through these dark regions, surrounded
BY the maze of doubt, and enVe!oped IN
the msts Of painful conjecture. We kno"
what has heen the history of eur unhappy
race, from the beginning, and tnat SO sure
as the sentence Of mortality passed upon
US at first, is expressed in every hbre OF
our frame, throbs III every pulse, and e.
choes in every breath We shall remain
the same To toll, aud wish, end weep,
a little wbiie"--
.Jmpell'd with steps uuceasmgto pursue
Some Reeting good, that Knocks us with
1.-THE view''
We need not traverse the bewS dering
labyrinths OF metaphysical speculation, TO
srr,ve at knowledge OF our errors, Ia
bors' disappointments, or duties, IN these
unsatistyi4g CHIMES; and as Il regard our
destiny in brighter plains, behind the
, msun,ain iop, the award mnst be lei! TO
that good and wise Parent, whe will do
all biggs right, For so closely have the
secrets OF the sepulcbre been treasured up,
by those who have passed its repulsiVe
border, that no courteous ghost has
e. been permitted TO lend, "a ray OF con
doing intelligence, to irradia'e the gloom
that sits go smpenetrably obstinate On the
grave OF man /; nor kindly deigned to
whisper to our fears
In what mysterious region cast,
Immortal spirits dwell"
1t IS enough for Us to recognize the InsIs-
n,ticsncs OF our own epheneral beng so
esss ntial with respecttO our CONDITION IN
pure sphere, where days, and month";, and
years shall be though, OF 40 longer; and
so utterly unimp0rlant, IN e'evating Inc
character. or augrne nting the glory OF nm,
whose paternal eye, embraces at glance,
unDumhered worlds; possibly better emil
tied to his regards, than this little agItated
+ planet, to whose surface we cling with
such pueriie attachment The ir'ilng
SPACE we occupy, We men, the gTeat.
pui SAINT, and the wise, rs but that OF
atoms floatusg in the sunbeam our tots
are but the labors OF the ant, our rewards
but as her crumbs, gathered 10 the WI
light our enjoymenls but tlresome ite'
ration Our occupations fleeing as The
mouniaia mlsts-oer smiles evanescent as
the sninsliag hues OF the rainbow and
our pleasures, transient as the blush Oh
summers latest rose We nrrl'e lew
short years. amused by the basbles OF
youth, and deluded by the pictures OF tau
cy, until we attain our zenith, eYulung 80
the buoyancy of vivid antic;pa ion; but efe
long, confess, with sigh, that all beyona
that point is bu' sickening repetition. ana
tasteiess inanity. Nor can We derive
hope frosn the whole experience OF past
ages, that man will ever be wiser, better,
or happier, On this side of the grave; the
discordam materials OF bis very constilu-
ton forbid. and the selfish conclusions OF
society deny i. Ills true, he beams OF
science, the ,ffulgence OF genius and the
radiance piety, may, indeed, s'ed 0cCa-
sional lustre over the ruggedness OF DIS
path, las the tightening often point out 10
The benighted traveller, his road through
the drenched forest, only to oewi!der him
more sady.) and may sharpen the soft
ness of The thorns, that every where meet
his bleeding steps; bu; his pilgrimage
must still be the same, and bs must COZ
tinue TO pursue the course OF his progen-
TORS. down litsSs tedious deciIvi.y TO the
sole home Of peace, the grave; where The
canker-~orm OF care will not penetrate 10
disturb his slumh RS. nor the cnniume'ious
wrongs OF oppression, haunt Ike per-
petua incxtgs his couch OF clay. y! fAere
are s,oments when thought is SO intense,
reflection SO acute, and anticipation so
humhled; that the bosom Of sympathy, de-
LIGHTS TO nurture darl'ng sigh to throw
, open, as II we're, thu very windows ct The
gou!, and give it passage to the trisid at
nosphere. ola sordld and callous world;
bidding i, find like the Dove from the
ark consoling place OF rest Al possible,
amidst the conflicting ocean--the vast and
turbulent waste of human carss. its a
halIowed pulsation compared with men
the wealth of empires would be nothing
woTth'-i0r while ii lasts, tire unSe OF
| lie becomes dim; and the cold marble Oh
| the tomb seems transparent as the chrys'ai
gates of heaven But soon, alas II returns
to the bosom that gave i, bivth, SICK with
the falsity of hope-sppalled at the ex'
tension of misery and drsgusted with the
sa,iely..of pleasure; or expires upon the
desert. an unrewarded aud unwe1come
visitor. In such an hour, so solemniy lux
| ,r;oue We cannot hut halt over the emp