The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-26
LOVE.

There is vivid love of God in the child
that lays its cheek against the cheek of its
mother, and clasps it, arms about her neck.
God IS thanked (perhaps unconsciously) for
the brightness Of his earth, on summer even
| Inys, when brother and sister, who have long
been parted, pour out their heart stores to each
other, and feel their course Of thought bright
ening as il runs. When the aged parent hears
Of the honors his children have won, or looks
round upon their innocent faces as the glory Of
his decline, his mind reyerts to Him who in
them prescribed the purpose Of his life, and
bestowed his grace. But religious as is the
mood of every affection, none is so devotional
as that Of love, especially SO called. The soul
is then the very temple Of adoraton, Of faith,
Of holy purity, of heroisrn, of charity. At
such a moment the human creature shoots up
into the angel; there is nothing on earth too
deiled for its charity-nothing in hell too ap-
palling for its heroism-nohng in heaven too
glorious for its sympathy. Strengthened, sus-
tanned, vivifed by that most mysterious power,
union with another spirit, il feels itself set well
forth on the way OF victory over evil, sent out
coHquerlng and TO conquer. There is no other
such crisis in human life. The philosopher
may experience uncomfortable agitation in
verifying his balancing systems Of worlds,
feeling, perhaps, as if he actually saw the
creative hand 10 the act of sending the planets
forth on their everlasting way; but this phi
losopher, solitary seraph as he may be regard
ed amidst myriad Of men, knows at such
moment no emotions so divine as those of the
spirit becoming conscious that il is beloved.
be il the peasant girl in the meadow, or the
daughter OF the sage reposing in her father'S
confidence, or the artisan beside his loom, or
the man OF letters musing by his fiieside.-
The warrior, about to strike the decisive blow
for the liberties of nation, however impressed
with the solcmnity of the hour, is MT in a state
oi such lofty resolution rs those who, by join
inc hears, are laying their joint hands on the
whole wide realm OF tuturlly for their own
The Statesman who, in the moment Of sue
cess, feels that entire class Of social sins and
woes is annihilated by his hand, is not con-
scious of so holy and SO intimate Il thankful
ness as they who are aware that their redemp-
ton is come iithe presence OF new and So
vcreien affection. And there are many-they
are in all corners of every land. The states
man is the leader of nation--the warrior is
the grace of an age-ihe philosopher is the
birth Of thousand ears but the lover
where is he not Wherever parents look
round upon their children, there he has heen
wherever children are AT play together, there
he will soon be-wherever there are roofs I'M
der which men dwell, wherever there is an
atmosphere vibrating with human voices;
there is the lover, there is his lofty worship
going on, unspeakable, but revealed in the
brightness Of the eye, the majesty OF the pre-
>ence, and the high temper Of the discourse.
Men have been ungrateiul and perverse; they
have done what they could to counteract, TO
debase this most heavenly influence of their
life; but the laws Of their Maker are too
strong, the benignity Of their Father is too pa
tent and ferven,, for their opposition to with
stand; and the true love continues, and will
continue, to send up its homage amidst the
meditatons of every eventide, and the busy
hum Of noon, and the song CT the morning
stars.-Hdrriet .Mdrtineau.