Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-11-16

and .hen delivered il to the women, ana these 10
49, hy al, of whom il was in like manner smo-
! ad +, was then passed to the children. THIS
coremonv consumed the day, and early the next
mnrniop a feast was held, at which the men, anu
women. and children, ate III separate groups 81
Ienty, and without singing and dancing. l" u'e
evening they departed for their different villages
The fire was called kaugageeskoote, or the
everlasting fire. The principal male attendant
was Kaugegee Keeghik, or the everlasting sum
and his assistant OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, OF the
fire.keeper The principal female was cai!ea
Kaupeeee Gaube wakna. or the everlasting stand
ing woman. and her assistant kabasauoe"eKwa,
or The woman who stands all the time
Notes TO Sahuiac.
Man.U orship.-Minds are not visible. but bo-
dies are, and some analogy may be drawn from
the ornaments Of the visible body to the no'I"ns
and opinions of the invisible mind. There is
fashinn in opinions as there is in dress hen
we admire the elegance of an existing fashion IN
dress, and laugh at the srotesGue appearance OF
extinct fashions, we know for an absolute verify
that our admiration and ridicule are not founded
ON tire nature of things, but that they depend on
the caprice of the times. We know very well
that large or small bonnets have nothing essen
tjally elegant or essentially ridiculous indepen-
dent of fashion; but though we may also know,
If we will take the trouble, that our notions Hue.
tuate with the times, and are as the fashion bids
them to be. we will not see it, we will not own
it. and. to crafty our nordiuate self-conceI, we
persist in calling the dance of caprice the march
OF intellect. The fashions of dress pass away so
rapidly, that every man in the course OF his lie
sees many changes which at one time he admlres.
and at another. without any revolution 0t actual
taste, ridicuIes and despises. But the reign OF
an opinion is longer. especially it that opinion
partake of the nature OF principle. We lit
up our eyes now with great and mighty wonder
ment at the absurJity and folly of the Romans
IN the Aususan age, that they could be 50 exceed
| ipcIy besOtted as to make god OF a dead empe-
ror. We cannot find words to express the sense
we entertain of the dultishness Of these great CT
tzens of the great city. the queen and mistress
of the world, that, in the most high and palmy
state Of their empire, they should be guilty OF
man worship. Did not their philosophy, did
not their literature, did not their common
sense, hy fatty in the face of such gross and
impious absurdiiy Could any individual Of
! them all, the most sayish and uneduoated, ina.
zine for mot6ent that Augustus was really god:
Absolutely impossible, one should think; but if no
one could be supposed to imagine the thing true,
why did they all conspre to speak and think of
| it as true? Whom had they to deceive. and for
| for what purposes They were sincere cnoug h.--
II was the fashion of the times; and nothing can
be absurd that is fashionable. though much may
be fashionable, that is absurd. But is man-wor-
ship quite out of fashion with US! Is there moth
ing in The constitution of our mind that leads us,
with all our wisdom and mind -marching. to wor.
ship MANI It's very true we do not actually
kneel down and say our prayers to our fellow
creatures-but is there not, in the minds Of ma.
nv. and the language of more, semblance OF
yeneration of man as more than man! Does not
title cast halo of dignity around humanity. which
alters the sentiment Of the mind in contemplating
the titled Take gentleman of any pattern you
please and make the experiment. It's soon done
upon paper Let him be six feet high, fifty years
of age, well dressed, well behaved, good looking !;
! let him be linen draper. & let his name be John
Smith. and he is considered as nothing: but sink
the shop, let him be a serene highness or most
gracious Majesty, and what difference there
! forthwith is in the emotion with which we address
him, and the whole sentiment with which we re-
gard him. When the countryman, who wanted
to see Henry Nv. of France, was taken up on
horseback behind the King, he rode very easily.
and felt himself only IN the presence OF humani-
to so long as he did not know the gentleman TO be
the King, out what Illustration 0t awe came over
the Door fellow. when he found that he was in the
presence OF majesty There is scarcely one in
a thousand that is not so affected. 1t is de-
fusion co-existent with mans nature. We know
very we'll, SO far as abstract conviction goes that
a man is but man, notwithstanding any desig.
nation or title we may give him. But when we
have given him title. we look at him with de-
gree of awe So have we seen, on a dark No
vemher night, group of idle unkept urchins
scoop out with great diligence the interior of some
large turnip. and carve with cunningski the sem
blance of human face on the rind of the turnp
thus followed, placing lighted candle within the
cavity, and fixing the article on gatepost. and
retiring, to gaze at the work Of their own hands,
till they have been frightened at their own crca-
ton, and have been afraid to go near it, There
is something amusing in the revolution Of iiola-
try. which recent events have effected. Time
was, and that not long ago. when a reverence was
entertained for royalty by those who have much
abated of 1t, and the very party which lately cent
the knee in worship TO majesty, now reprove the
idoIa,ry, and reverence. aud adulatioD which Is
offered to the same idol for a different Cause