Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-07-31

ioned summers. There is passage in
Tacitus, which describes the climate of
this country just as it might be describ
ed now. l could quote Latin, but as |
have no particular end to answer in look
ing learned, l make the extracts from
DR.. Athens translation of the. lie of
Agricola. eth, sky in this country is
delormed by clouds and frequent rains,
but the cold is never extremity rigorous
The soil though improper for the olive
and vine, and other productions Of warm
er climates, is fertile and suitable for
corn. Growth is quick, but maturaiion
slow, both from the same cause, the
great humidity Of the ground and atmo-
sphere" There now, can any thing be
palmer than that? And yet we talk a
bout the changes Of the seasons, as ifthe
sun was worn out, and all things were
going wrong. There always have been
occasionally very hot summers, and oc-
casionalIy very cold winters. Nineteen
years ago there was fair on the Thames.
| That winter was not the rule, it was the !
exception. Whatever change there is,
is in ourselves. Reader, you are ac-
quainted with persons of thirty, forty, fi-
! ty, sixty, seventy, and perhaps eighty
! years Of age. Ask them all if The sea-
sons have NOT changed sinceshey were
young, and, though the respective peri
DDS Of their youth were at several inter-
walls, you will find them allin the same
story
\ 1t is precisely the same with regard to
manners. The deterioration of manners
we do not perceive so soon as we do the
changes Of the seasons. We take our
Impressions Of the seasons at about the
age of ten, and from that to fifteen but
our impression of manners we take at our
first entrance into the world. All chan
ges that have taken place, since that
time we regard as innoyations-as kind
of DETECTION from the standard Of pro-
prety. Whatever was the fashion when
we first came to years Of discretion was
rational; whatever had then ceased TO
be the fashion was antiquated, formal,
and ridiculous and whatever has come
into fashion since then, is all a change
for the worse-a departure from proplie-
ty and reason, altogether new-lang gled.-
The word "new-langled" is a charm
ing word it expresses such pleasant
pungency Of satire, and implies delight
ed assumption of wisdom on the part Of
him who uses it. The mind by time, ,ac-
quires kind of rgidity; it does not like
to be put out of shape or out Of place;
change disturbs it, and makes it angry
Then il looks back to better days, when
none of the vllanous innovations were
known, which are now so prevalent IN
every thing. ! am glad that | am nei.
ther gas or steam, for it would break my
heart to be abused as they have been.
I, But of all the regrets Of the Better
: Days, that are gone by, none are more
pathetic than the lamentations for the
!, loss cf all our great men. What mar
vellously great men did live in the DAYS
: that are past! This, of course, says the
h triumph ant croaker, must be admitted
a There is no denying that Shakespeare,
Milton, Pope, Scott, Byron, Pitt, Fox,
4 Canning, and Sheridan, are all gone,
!, and have not left their likcncsses behind
n 1t is no easy matter to conceive any hu-
Z man being more proud and happy than a
triumphant croaker. If you stop man
q in the midst of his lamentations, and
i prove to him, as clear as light, that he
Q has no good ground for complaint, you
q seem to inhict an injury upon him; but
!. If he can repel your arguments, and es.
o tabIish his own growing position beyond
: all question, he is far happier than if he
J.. had any cause of complaint. Is there
4 says he, a man now living who can write
as Shakespeare wrote? Very likely there
i is not; and if there were, he would be
!. quite superfluity; we have as much
Shakespeare as we want-and so Of al
. the rest.
is The cause Of this style eproachine
d the present by referring to the past, is tt
d be found in the loud lamentations, which
e mark the departure ofgreat men from the
e sublunary scene. " hen distinguished
II man dies, the public feels loss. Fune
n raj elegy, monument, epitaph, biogra
}; ply, all make the loss more talked about
y But when great genius is born into the
,f world, there is no talk about it. We no
= tice the great trees that are cut down
e but we regard not the sapings that ar,
:e springing up in their place. Thus We
h think that we live in sad, degenerate
{, days, and thus we get into the habit o
2. looking upon great men as good for moth
), ing till they are dead. In the book o
rs the Proverbs of Solomon, it is said tba
b.. living dog is better than dead lion. -
I'd Perhaps it may be; but we do not in ge
er neral seem to hold this doctrine; indeed
,e we regard the living as dogs, and ,h'
er dead us lions.
III | think anniher cnnse of nilr lnoL In.