The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-09-08


the rewards and the penalties. the delicate
pleasures and refined pains of active cxs-
tence; and after having undergone the varie-
ties of animal life, at last quietly repose
themselves in their narrow bed; like small
pebbles for moment disturbing the peace.
full tranquility OF the water with their all,
silently they bury their names and their ma
lures in an oblivion as deep as though they
had never been. These compose one of the
three classes of the human kind. The 9TH
crtwo consist of active beings, whose loud
voices are heard, and whose figures are seen
and remembered on the great stage of the
world, conspicuous as the bcncfactors or en-
emies, the slory or shame ofthcir race. Au-
gustus is one of the former. In him are
combined at once enthusiastic admiration of
honesty, with will and power to practice it.
Virtue consists scarcely more in acting, than
in resisting. The impulse of a moment may
urge a young, warm disposition into some
glorious undertaking, but it requires firm
reasoning, philosophical morality, the most
difficult to attain, to defy temptations as Il
rock deties the waves which are forever
beating at its base, and for ever in vain.
This great characteristic distinguishes Au
sustus from the rest of men. He pursucs
his varied path, with an unwavering moral
courage, which, with the foppery of uunc
cessary display, is faithful in the hour Of
danger, and rises i'll ratio to the tumults in
which he is engaged; strengthening him in
proportion to the oppressive weight, it
sheds glory around his way, when over
ciouded with the gloomiest shade; and when
he is brought to the test, when vice stands on
cne side, arraycd in her robes Of gaycty,
with her long train of false phantoms to urge
her requests, and Offering ,old, and giSry,
and all the earth can afford, fora smile Of
his lip, or touch from his hand; and the
plain unadornct! form Of Truth On the ether,
call with her silver voice, and bids him be-
ware--then does this invaluable charm
close his ear to sounds that would betray the
unwary, and soften visions that world ruin
the thoughtless gay. Indeed his mind is a
beautiful piece of moral mechanism, which
presents barrier to shield from almost eve
ry weapon, or affords remedy for every
wound. What ills it cannot paliatc, it
teaches him to endure, and when fate ban
ishes HIM from the prosperous rays which
often shine on the vicious, it enables him to
tread the dark labyrinths with light step
and fearless heart, confident and happy
that JOY awaits him at the end.
He possesses thousand resources for a
greeable thought, which bushes his bosom
into serenity impcrvious to the storm.
Cheerfuness perpetual, irradiates his
heart, from which he has wisely Shut the
greatest enemy to man. No matter what
tcmpests brood over his head, or what ter
rors start up at his feet, whether he lloat on
the full tide of triumphant prosperity, or
smilingly row his little boat, industrious to
the opposition Of winds and waycs-hc hap
L PLY medtates, that if his barque is over
whclmel, lie can beat the surges with his
arms; or IT no means of security vary the
waste around, the worst that Can bcfai him
is the momentary crisis, which not all crea-
ton could much longer have averted, and
ne cludes the cruelty Of the angry storm, by
causing the very wind, which wreck his
vessel to watt him to everlasting peace.
Manlius, on the contrary, pursues pleasure
over the path of vice, and, for Il few con
teMptiDle and eyanescent thro5s Ci Joy, pays
a price, than which, far less would have
purchased an eternity Of delight Before his
youth had ripened into the energies ofnan-
hood, he thought he perceived many ways
whereby he might indulge in idleness, with
out making the results visible i'll the tenor uI
! his conduct, or the iecitatons of his task;
but he was at length discovered in a false-
hood which he had invented to excuse i
crime, and, i'll addition to the advantages he
had lost, he experienced the flagellaton Of
I his tutor the disaiiection of his companions
and the reproots and contempt Of all his
4 friends When the world presented d
broader path, and lie had grown to be a mo
yer in wider sphere, his propensities for
evil increased III proportion to the inpor-
tance of his situation, uatil he was elevated
from the meanness OF Being despised, 10 the
dignity of beng hated. BY a thousand an
principled actions he has accumulated a for
tune, which he lavishes to gain pleasures he
Cannot enjoy, and friends it is impossible for
him % preserve. The very hireings who
tatten on his abundance, detcst the hand
from which they receive their fayours; ard
willie the hatterer, fawnng about his per-
son, draws Veil over his vices, or eloquent
n ly softens them into generous indiscretions,
he is watching the effects Of his dose as
the subject Of future exposition and rdicule.
Maniius himself, i'll the midst of abundance
and the lido. OF the warmest and most prom
islng friends, with thousands to protect him
from the attacks Of his enemies, and charms
to dlssipate reflection, is yet an utter stran-
ger to that cheer.ulncss and buoyancy Of
spirits, which ever accompany Augustus
thro' all the vicisstusles Of life. Though he
IS stated with luxuries, he trembics at their
i, Insecurity, and wlithng beneath existence
, as anguish, he shrinks shuddering from its
, close, as despair. His pains have no rene
dy, his pleasures no delight; his mind, like a
I dry Leaf Hutterlng in the air, has been long