Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-06-16
INTERESTING
MISCELLANY.
REFLECTIONS.

How interesting to contemplate the di-
vcrsity of interests among men! Every
individual sustains variety of relations
which connect him with as many differ
ent objects of concern; he stands as it
were the centre of a thousand cOncentric
circles, each extending farther and far
ther till lost in the immensity of the Uni
verse. We first see man moving in the
circle Of seymterest;which is very limited,
barely ahording him sufficient room for
the exercise of intellect, and quite too
confined for the full play of social virtues,
those feelings and affections impressed
by the finger of nature as ministering an
gels to our happiness. This is circle
which all men affect to despise, but by
which more or less the movements of all
are circumscribed. In it are found bach
elors and spinsters, misers, old men with
no support but senseless staff, and aged
women comfortless and solitary.
The next we enter is the domestic CIR
Gle, and more than all, to him who has
never cast his eye on certain proud emi-
nenccs with others, affords heartfelt en-
joyment. In it is experienced freedom
from the anxiety, and care, and distur-
bance of those above, and from the cold,
pining heartlessncss of that beneath; in it
is felt the inexpressible endcarments of
"wife, children and friends" Here we
behold the little cherubs of innocence, the
promise of the world; the maid whose
soul looks to coming years, to the fireside
of affection with the being she loves; the
youth drawn by cords happily termed sH-
ken to her he adores; and here we meet
the happy father and mother Of a happy
family.
As VIC advance we come to the circle
Of our country. In this our interests and
concernments are enlarged, our views
take in not only the care of ourselves, and
our families, but also the good of our
ncighbors, our government, our nation.
Patriotism is the star of this department,
and treason its broadest blot. In this
flourish Legislators and soldiers, statutes
and swords; heroes riding OH the car of
rcnown, and traitors hanging degraded
to appeasc an offended nation. Here the
stern virtue, justice, is cultivated, and the
more pleasurable emotions rcpressed
when they countcract the public good.
Beyond these may be seen the circles of
literature, Of christianity, of philanthropy.
And does this view of man afford no
profitable reflections? How superior to
civil division is the literary world. Eu-
ropcans and Americans join in friendly
cultivation and literature and science, un-
divided by causes which impel others to
minglc their blood in deadly combat
They stand aloof from the scene Of dis
cordant politicians, nor join the wrang-
ling disputants on the propriety of nations.
But how very superior the christian The
learned always feels somewhat of the dis
tancc between them and the ignorant,
they cannot mingle with them in cordial
society, for they cannot feel with them;
but the Christian is not subject to these
limitations, he opens his arms and heart
in good fellowship to all who are like him
self, followers Of Jesus, all are dear to
him, one in the communion of Christian
hopes and feelings, all are his brethren,
learned and unlearned, rich and poor
Can there be any thing higher' No, for
the Christian is philanthropist. j was
going to add this to the term, but Chris
iion includes every thing great and good
under heaven. And yet, if he be an ex-
cluding Christian, admitting none to his
embrace but his titled brethren, even he,
in all his excellence, falls short of ano-
ther. 1t is the philanthropist alone, one
of the family Of nature, who casts under
his feet the many determinations made in
society to divide mankind and set one