Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-03-11
MISCELLANEOUS.

AA&8Gv In " RSu
alt is the best prognostic of youth to be found
occupying himself with thoughts beyond his present
} power, and above hi. present place."
Sir Walter Scott, who has so long, a.
unused, and instructed, and astonished
!, the literary world by the fecundity and
f strength of his mind, has declared that
, the most happy and powerful sketches OF
his pen were struck off with the greatest
: rapidity, unlaboured and unrevised. The
J writings referred to bear internal evidence
!, of the truth of this declaration, and vindi-
cate the fame of the author as a man of
extraordinary powers. Those productions
which have sort of spontaneous birth,
fresh and lively from the mint of nature,
can scarcely fail to please, and, by their
gushing fulness and sparkling vigour,
compel warm and lasting admiration.
\ But the mind, whether of genius OF.
of common man, is unequal in its efforts,
and will at one time, and under certain
circumstances, break forth with strength
and clearness which at another give place
to murkiness and lassitude dull as
night" The experience of every man
who makes, or attempts to make, daily
use of his mind, can attest this assert;;aa,-
H. -svirIr5Un, IIIe great giant OF English
literature, confesses as much, when he
says, that casual eclipses of the mind
will darken learning, and that writer
shall often trace his memory in vain, at the
moment Of need, for that which yesterday
he knew with .intuitive readiness, and
which will come uncaled into his thoughts
tomorrow" Especially does the mind
loathe and abhor compulsion; and hence
it is that we see editors of newspapers.
who, from the strong necessity they feel
that they Should daily produce something
worthy of perusai, occasionally fall be-
meath mediocrity, and do discredit to them
selves; and hence it is, when the efforts
OF the mind are bartered beforehand. and
its immortal vigour sold in anticipation.
its inspiration is irretrievably lost, and its
ylvacity, freshness, and life, sink into heart
less and unmeaning stupidity.
The private correspondence of the suf-
fering and elegant poet, Cowper, throws
few additional rays of light on this sub
Ject, and reveals some of the motives to
authorship in that feeling and smgularly
constituted man, which, however common
and offensive among grosser spirits, re-
cerved from the fellowship of his polish
and simplicity truly exquisite. The love
OF praise and the desire of fame are pas
sions which, in some degree or other, per-
wade all virtuous minds, and their total
extinction in any human breast does
but prove total moral degeneracy. Cow
per's confidential intercourse with his
friends, of 6 kindred spirit, lays open the
secret tabltes Of his heart, and it is refresh
ing and delightful to look at the inward
spirit OF man SO pure, frank, and intel
lectual- He lauod- tho ptuisrs of tfIUse
few friends with whom he had &c garnered
up his heart and he told them of it with
a sweetness and modesty which, instead of
offending the ear, cannot fail to thrill the
heart of the most Indifferent reader. To
this all powerful motive of action, in him
so ardent though secluded, the world is
indebted for some of the most chaste pro-
Iductions, and some of the sweetest poetry
| that was ever penned. His larger and
perhaps more useful efforts grew out of
that stubborn and affective melancholy
(which most dreadfully preyed upon his
peace, and robbed the world of the pre-
sence of highly gifted and pure spirited
man. While his mind, as he expresses it.
was employed in presenting pretty
thought in a pretty manner, he forgot that
wretchedness which, however ideal, was
to him reality, and which laid waste his
earthly comforts, andeto his view desolated
his eternal hopes.
The single object the writer of this has
in view is to teach young men that the
human mind is capable of towering above
the calamities of this existence; that even
its own inherent darkness will weld in
time before the blaze of it's also inherent
and inextinguishable fires. A fair intent.
and Jealous and persevering efforts, will
conduct to usefulness and ensure the need
ola well spent life. Let this be the mot
to-" what man has been man can be
again."