Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-09-14
ELEGANT EXTRACT.

-S~N |
The following extract is taken from
IN address lately delivered by the Rev.
DR.. Maryland, President Of Brown u
liversity. 1t is written a mastery
style, and furnishes subject for So
emn reflection.
ssThe examples Of goodness have
made men ashamed Of vice, thought
ess men admirers of virtue, without
either rendering the one truly penitent
Or the other actively virtuous. If, how
ever, its partial influences (the inAuen-
ces of the gospel by the reformation)
have been thus salutary, What may not
be hoped when the whole moral nature
of man shall have been subject to itsau-
thority? The sun has indeed risen,
and the mountain topsare already bask-
ing in its beams, but altho' the plains
are Illuminated by reflected light, yet
the cold dews of evening still rest hea-
Willy upon them; while the shades and
darkness still hover over the valleys
beneath. Buthow glorious willall this
seem, when green valley, and silver
rivulet, and CLASSY lake, and wavy plain,
and pine clad mountain are rejecting
back the quickening efulgence of UNI
clouded noon.
But that unclouded noon has not yet
arrived-God grant it may speedily
come. Whether it shall come now,
prophetic vision has not yet foretold.
The results Of improved civilization, in
consequence of the diffusion of knowl-
edge, the unlimited freedom of the
press, and the rapid accumulation of
capital, have given an energy to hui
man passion, and have taught such skill
in advising modes by which it may be
gratified, that the impulsive powers of
man have speedily acquired an energy
before unprecedented. That they are
already sufficient to balance the exist
ms !ns, forces OF moral restraint, seems,
froal many indications, far from impro-
bable. The proof of this is seen. in that
feverish restlessness, that growing dis
regard for law, that universal disrespect
for authority, that eagerness for war,
and the desire for revolution, which
are so characteristic of thepresent time.
It has been truly remarked, that for
the last ten years single official note,
from any public functionary, could
have set Europe in ablaze. War is now
game which even wise kings can with
the greatest difficulty, prevent their
subjects from playing at. And if kings
refrain from fighting with each other,
it is very doubtful whether their sub
jccts Cal, 5s ; kept ::sss s ;g,t;ss among
themselves. The people are every
where much bent. on breaking the So
cial fabric to pieces; every individual
being well satisfied that he could quite
easily construct better. The whole
history Of our globe seems not yet to
have convinced men that.it has always
been found very difficultto improve an
edifce, by dwelling it with the dust,
when you are obliged to reconstruct it
out of the very sapne materials.
But societies ear for 2 long
time, be stationary & tie expalsive
violence viz, en- e ,hSafI ~ - ssioaa ~
social edifce; ln ~ COL
lapse with an lselming tesh.-
The natura! ferocEy Of the hHmaa heart,
stimulated and directed by an aintelils
genceitnever before attained, and wnet-
ted to anguish by the splendors OF help
less opulence every where within its
physicalapower; scis Ice and the arts
; Furnishing means Of Itruction before
unknown, and capabla gratifying to
the the pre- y dow very laa ll
one horrln hpest OF 49, ahass
ssrows, and N d, willAembfne to toi
4; scene Of amphaht havoc, such az
J, the pen Of q Historian hath never YET
) described, pninspired imaginatiael!
! ever vet al Eed. Thus civilizatid1
: will be sw second time from ths
e earth, mott before, by hordes Of Thu
e north, but Nv sanguinary herd ofhe
own degenerated children. Morris thi
: idea at all chimerical. Within the mem
Q ory Of any of you, this drama has beel
enacted in the most civilized and pc
s lished nation Of Europe. France IA
r deluged with blood, her treasure vast
: ed, and the continent from Moscow
s the Mediterranean was whitened wit
7 the bonesof Frenchmen, before. the tuT
: bulence Of passion, once ascendant, wa
: brought within theliAit ofmoral poWe
g which existed to restfsip il"
J Serenading The Wheeling (va.
= Times, advises the young bloods wh'
p \ & OnflEI0l 0QNES