The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-12-02

| MY, Tue Isitlu oi ldddgaSCar, saturn
Ing, one OF the Pt iadcs. or moth ~ M All ;
Il this be Il faithful represent, ion q. i;rrL
ley's theory, il may be addnced ms = str
king Illustration nf the perVcrSity ofhunal
reason, taat such u man shall be ,lecm.d
philosopher. aud persuade bishops and di
! 'inrs, III spite oi the evidence of then
senses, IN adopt his notions, aud DENY thu
! existence OF matter while the poor wight
VINO, IN conformity to the evidence III hi,
srnsts, maintains thu existence nf dlsem.
bodied spirits, is hootcd and run dow a ~ a
drivellrr and a dotard
DIR. Johnsnu's Argument, that The uni,cr.
sai hellei ghosts, inal ages and among all
nations, confirms the fact Of their ap4ari-
tion, as futile and inconcluSiye for the
reasoning would establish the ruth of ne.
cromancy, ~itehcfatt, ldolatry, aud other
snpersttlons /; but tine opposcrs Of this he
liei not only brand as impnstnrs I'll thnsr
who relate their own experiences of il,
confirmation they not only repudial,, the
| aSathn-dpmen of Socrates, and slight the
aHermcntOf Scripture, that Saul deared the
| Nltrh oi End0r In raisc up the spirits OF
those WHOM he shGald name; but they de.
ny even The possibility Of the Csct. To adj
mt p0sthumous existence IN the next
world, and reject the competency otuatnre
lo accomplish similar mystery ia This.
! Is surely an nnwarranied limitation vt her
powers. Who shall circumsc,ibe the me
tamorphoses of Our being When we
start from the antrnatal void into existence,
| the change Is certainly wonderful but il
Is stlli more strange, startling, ani incom
prehensiblr, when we quit life in the fu
ness OF intellect, aud return into the in,Isi-
bic world. In the first case, we advance
rom noncntlty 10 very confined state OF
conselouslless, io an animal existence, for
an ntant has no MN That celestial nor-
uon NJ our system Is evolved by the painful
eiahorlton of lime and ofour own efforts ;
II requires series of years Ia perfect lis
lHscrntable developement and is this sub
lime image and emanation of the Deity Ia
be suddenly, Instantly degraded into clod
OF earth, an inert lump of matter, without
undergoing any intermediate state of eXis-
tencc between death and final resurrection
Abstract theory sanctions the suppOsitng
of Ghosts ard by what authority do we
galnsay those Who sucmnly declare that
they have bcheId them ? They never APP
pear, II is urged, To more than ono person
NJ TINE, winch Is strong presumption of
individual faisehuod or delusion How
81 this may be the law of their mani(es-
tatIen. II pres, the corners OF my eyes, |
STE consecutive rlfcIcs of light, like rain
bow no body else can discern them--bnt
will II br therefore maintained that | do
not II IS notorious thai IN dreams objects
nTpEpntpI t, a
dlsnnCtnrSs than they assume 10 the visual
organ bnI II would be idle to assert thai
those conilg0rAtona were not presented to
us, because they were invisible To others.
Our waking ryes may indeed be made the
p" fools OF our either senses, or else wort Ii
all the rest ;" but stll you may give Us
credit for the sincerity df oar relation, FOR
we pretend not to describe aparnlous that
Other men have seen, but those which We
ourselves haze Witnessed.
Ii may not be unmportant to re.
mark, thatso Far from my being subject 10
the blue devils and vapour5 with which
hJpochondriacs and inv aids are haunted,
possess that happy physical organization
which ensures almost uninterrupted health
of body and mind, and which i'm the plasti.
city and bpoyancy o. my spirit, renders
III" sensation OF mere existence an enjoy
ment. Though | reside in the country,
winter has for me no gloom nature has
prepared herself for its rigours they are
customary and every thing seems To mar
mUDlAe with their infection but for the
same reason that the solitude of town is
desolhtng aud oppressive while the loncl
ness of the country is soothing and grateful,
| do feel the sadness vi perpetual fogs and
rains IN July, although they excite no me-
ldncholy feeling al the season of their
natural occurrence. TO see ones ravorite
flowers wing dawn their heads 10 die :
ONES plantation strewed with leaves moi
shaken of in thr fuiness of age hnt beaten
TO earth in the bloom Of youth here a
noble tree laid PROSTATE aud there va
liable field OF corn lodged in the swampy
soil, (Which were familiar objects in July
last, is sufficient tolekctc melancholy as.
s0clationo in the most cheerful temprra-
ment. Confessing that mine was not alto
getber proof against their influence, aud
leaving /" Ia" caVillcr aud the sceptic, the
II hcncfit of this admission, proceed 10
simple statement of the fact which has
elected these preliminary observations.
Artuated by the dishearteuing dnlnpss Of
the scene 10 which have alluded, | hal
written to my friend, Mr. George Staples,
of Exeter, requesting him to walk over
some day and dine NTH me, as well
knew hi, presence vas an instant antidote
to mental depression, not 81 much from th,
possession of any wit or humour. as from
his unaffected kindness and amiabiIlty, the
exuberance of animal spirits, the inexliaus-
tible fund of his laughter, which Was per
petually waiting for the smallest excuse 10
burst ont of his heart, and the c5nthgion nj
his hlIarity, which had an instant faculty
of communicating itsrIfto others On The