The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-09-01

fhanSapd fulds, and the whole msn slllks .
hurfid ,iclirp to ifr.tfieysl4e ruin. linen
tau lite he sees his error ihen tie chains
WHICH seemed AT first bal gaflIfr!s ~ 1d"-
ers. ar.nlrianoflti,os ii intosfrpriits, whose
breath II rstk puisun aud "l1'fse touch -
destruction. Nhimy he struggles IN the'r
nnns.atfs etr,ifae..-- s,t2es ihrir sllPe's
iurms in li's G-slras grasp, or attempts |"
control their bdtuwy moiians, and tram
pie them beneath hls shrinking feet --Alas
IN. ererriry fold, have encrcled his body,
and imprisoned esrry'limb; gaspip., he Is
en,fln,,ed W their countless tolls. aud yields
conquered and .Irddering. tn iornenis hof-
rible rs hell The course Of vice Is steep
descent and wc pass With accelerated We
! locify 6awn It's dreadful abyss--a false step,
or needless turu. may plnege us into IN.
! lions dep, and the SpIrit OF God drelis not
With the abandoned one. 10 paeily their
rugged natures nr soften down ihcif ire.
Let us on thr.ither hand ob5erv. the no
birsi work OF Gud--an honest man. II Is
! the constitution ofhunanlty Ia endure t,r-
~ snfrnw which Is not the result OF sln, aud
| the gnoG mnu Turns y shi. id.ai bfeas, IL The
! ills Of life, which r"ttha like bafln.sss hail
stones on hn armed knighi. Virtue 10 the
mind Is a more impcrohable protection than
j Spanish steel to the -5ody; and he who has
equipped himsrlf ia her sacred suit, walks
gigantic and immortal amid the loudest din
| aud iercrst dangers OF t0tnntnnns wal
! Thu greatest nuuareh Who has ganfd his
/ magnllirrncc by theeacfiGce of lldnoar, has
no dignity To- compare 10 tfia aud l.aiay-
.tte IN bis pliu blue coat surrounded by
/ the sacred entertainments which virtue has
bestoh ed. san Object incompai ably otmor"
interest and admiration, than the sultan hall
/ buried in the treasures of the east. Many
weak minded mortals, NJ the onsu of thar
career. sanly suppose II possible To trIile
| ilir with the pleasures of wee, anu alter
wards erect themselves IN the strict nrac-
IKE Of all that is just, Favourable aud good.
They wouldalnus, tlIrir ts.'t by sippiag for
hidden sweets, being careful mol IN dram III"
! poisonous bowl to lhe bottom, y iontly lin-
| agiue they possess resolution, III Witch dlily
experience proves their fellow mortah 80
mlscrahly ucfcIent,to allow Il few mrrly
! gambols on the brink Of the prsepice, with
out the risk of being betrayed into the IL
/ tyss. a very tew, by the peculiar blessing
of fortune, may regain thor equilibrium,
and rc-, stab!ish themselves IN tire Rad to
happiness but mJuy, and bs far the mal"-
rity, find their veins swelling with incurabr
nahJy. when they btli.,ed the ,cnnnous
| goblet only touched their lip: or DIZZY aud
! benildrrcd hy tive niteherles around thrm,
h,sc their hold, and are hurled into the sap
| ing ehasn. when they only intended Il
glance over the edge.
An honest man is rarely IT. be found
There is no lack of those soit of beings
Who ahound in Negative virtues. who de-
! light IN religion. and det.st the devil: who
| ~ "a ril In tl.. 9Th i,I
aud never dcmoIish meal without good
long wiodcd grace. The excellence of these
consist ia declarations Of what feats they
might have accomplished. # circumstances
had hp, prcten,'d, aud how noble they
would be--if they could. They grow up,
Ike brutcs, deficient in the cultivated pas
SONS of civilized soeirty--exhibitng it,ir
stated periods Of youth, maturity, and de-
/ cay--rlrDOit alike from the ,illurs and the
! vices, the rewards aud the penalties, lhe
delicate pleasures and refined pains of nc-
tive existence ; and after having undergone
the varieties of animal life, at last quietly
rcpose Themselves IN their narrow bed like
small pebbles Tor n moment disththing the
peaceful tranquility Of the wafer with their
fall, silently they bury their nantrs aud their
natures IN an Obh,ion ~ deep as though
they had never hccn. These compose one
of three classes of the human kind
The other two consist Of active beings,
Whose loud voices are heard, and whose H.
gurus are seen and Remembered Oh the
great stage of the world. conspicuous as
the bru,iactors or enemies, the glory or
shame Of their race. Augustus Is one of
the formtr. In him are combiaed ct once
enthusiastic admiration of honesty, with will
aud power To practice IT. Virtue consists
scarcely mere IN acting, titan IN resisting.
i'hr impulse of IL momen, may urge Il
young, warT disposition int some glorious
| undertaking, but II requires irm reasoning
philosophical morality. the most difficult TO
attain, To defy temptation rs Il rock dclies
the waves which are forever beating al its
base, aud fur ever in VAN. This great cn;f-
ractcrlstic Distinguishes Augustus from the
rest Of men. He puisues his varied path,
with an unwa1rri1g moral courage. which,
with the toppery OF unnecessary display, Is
ialilful IN the hour Of dangrr. and rises IN
ratio to the tEmu'ts IN wlt'ch he Il engaged ,
Strengthening him IN proportion to tie OPP
pres1Ne weight, It sheds glory around his
Nay, when ovcrcloudcd with the gloomcst
shad" =; and when be Is brought to the test.
"heu wee stands % one SIDE, arraycd IN
: her robes of gairty, with her hong train of
tale phan"ms 10 urge her requests, aud
onefnG gold, and glory. and all the earth
tan ailnr d, for Il smile of his lip. ar a touch
from his Hand am! the plain unadornrd
, form Of Truth on the other, calls with her
silver voice, aud bids him beware then
docs this invaluable charm close his ear to
sounds that woGld bSsay the uawary, and
soften tie visions that would ruin III.
lhoushiless gay, tidced, his mind is u
beautiful piece Gf moral mechanism, which
presents barrier to shield from almost cv-
) cry weapon, or affords "a remedy for every
wound. What ills it cannot paiiiate. il
Teaches him 20 endure, and when fate ban.