Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-01-05
From The Spirit and Manners Of the Age
FRAGMENTS OF THE ANTEDILU-
WAN DIARY.

FRAGMENTS OF THE ANTEDILU.
WAN DIARY.
Reflections of Methuseeh in his youtb-in middle
age-and in old age.-By Mss Je,osbuuy.
To day am hundred years old. How
ohssful are the feelings of boyhood MY
senses are acute as the tree with the shrink
ing leaf. My blood bounds THROUGH nv
veins as the river pours through the valley
rejoicing IN It's strength. Life lies before
me IKE another plain Of Shinar vast, uaoc-
cupled, lnvltng-I will fill it with achieve
ments and pleasures! In about sixty wears
IL VIII be time for me to think of marrying
my Klnswoman Zllah will by that time have
emerged from girlhood she already gives
promise, hear, of comeliness and discre-
tlon. twenty years hence | will paw a visit
to her father, that may see how She crows
meanwhile, | will build CITY to receive
her when she becomes my wife.
Nearly three centuries have passed since
my marriage. Can it be? 1t seems but
Yesterday since sported like a young ante
lope round my fathers tent, or, climbing the
dark cedars, nestled like a bird among the
tbick 6oughs-and now am a man in an
thorlty, as well as in the prime of life. |
lead out my trained servants to the fght.
and sit head of the council, beneath the yerv
tree where, as an infant, my mother laid me
to sleep. Jared, my youngest born, lovely
paoe OF thirty summers, is dead but have
iour goodly sons remaining. knd NV three
daughters are fair as their mother. when /
hrst met her in the Acacia grove. where
now stands one of my city watch towers
They are the pride of the plain, no less fo,
their requirements than their beauty. No
damsei carries the pitcher from the fountain
with the grace Of Adah, none can dry the
summer fruit like Azubah-and none can
fashion robe of skins with the skill of Mil
can. When their cousin Mahaeel has seen
another halt century, he shall take the choice
OF the three. x
My eight hundredth birth day! And now
feel the approach Of age and inirmity.
MY heard is become white as the blossoms
OF the almond trees. am constrained to
use staff when | journey; the stars look
less bright than formerly; the flowers smell
less odorous | have laid Zillah in the tomb
OF the rock Micah is gone to the dwelling
OF Manaleel; my sons take my place at the
council and in the field all is changed. The
long future has become the short past. The
earth Is full of violence the ancient and the
are sinking beneath the young and
the vicious. The giants stalk through the
length and breadth of the land, where once
dwelt quiet people: all is changed. The
beasts OF the field and the monsters of the
deep growl and press on us with unwonted
fury; traditions, visions, and threatenings
are abroad. What fearful doom hangs over
this fair world, know not; it is enough
that | am leaving it; yet another five or
eight score years, and the tale will be com
plete. But have |, in very deed, trod this
earth nearly thousand years )? 1t is false,
am yet a boy. Ihave had dream--a long,
long busy dream; of buying and selling !;
marrying and giving in marriage of build
ing and planting; feasting and warning !;
sorrowng and rejoicing; loving and hating !;
but it is false to call it "a life. Go tot has
been vision Of the night and now that
am awake, will forget it. "Lamech, my
son, how long Is it since we planted the gar
den OF oaks beside the river? Was it not
yesterday 2" "My father. dost thou sport {?
Those oaks cast abroad shadow when nv
sister carried me beneath them in her arms,
and wove me chaplets oftheir leaves" Thou
art right my son ); and am old. Lead me
TO thy mothers tomb, and there leave me to
mediate. What am the better for my past
ength of being? Where will be its records
when am gone? They are yonder-on
all sides. Will those massy towers fall !?
Will those golden plains become desolate !?
Will the children that call me father, forget?
The seers utter dark sayings upon their
harps, when they sing of the future; they
say our descendants shall be men of dwind-
led stature; that the years of their lives
shall be contracted to the span of our boy
hood but what is that future to me L
have listened to the tales of Paradse-nay
in the blue distance, have seen the dark
tops gifts ceders. have heard the solemn
of Jubal when he sat on the sea
shore, and the sound Of the waves mingled
with his harping. have seen angels the
vistants of men-I have seen an end of all
is the future to me ?"
Mr.. Gales, the Mayor of the city of Wash
ngton, has given official notice, that Mr.
Rush, as the agent Of the corporation of the
city, has negotiated lban in Europe for a
million of dollars, to pay the subscription of
The city to the Stock of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal. The precise terms of the loan
are not known, but it has been obtained at
an interest of less than six per cent per an
.4du.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY. The whole
number of students at Harvard University
hiring the present year is Alb. OF these,
here are among the Graduates, l6; Candi-
lates for the University, IL; Theological
Students. 4O; Theological Students not
members of the REGULAR classes, 2; Stu
tents attending medical lectures, SO; Law
Students, "a among the under graduates,
he Senior Glass contains 48: the Junior,
70; the Sophomore, "a the Freshman, So !;
Students not candidates for degree, s.;
he whole number of Undergraduates, 252
The present state of the University must