Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1839-03-07
Ms = s q u .L y. a 81 * ,
MIDNIGHT REFLECTIONS

There Is something in the still and so.
Tenn hour Of midnight, that gives 4 sol,
tinge OF melancholy TO he mind when
Withdrawn from the noise and hustle and
di'quiet Of busy day.
whether the sweetness Of moonlight. or
the sollen grandeur Of darkness o'erspre ads
the scene. 1t awskens . train Of feeling
and sentiment, that dwells with complai.
sanee on each retiring object, and flies no,
TAR oeyondthe present NONE ut for interest
and qualification. II is emphaticalIy, the
saooafa 81 the mind; the angry passions,
ard the anxious pursuits, that haunted and
narrassed the mind through the by-past
dsy have subsidized. and oil within is mild.
ness and tranquility. The hue ofthe hour
gives tone to the mind. and impercepti-
oily leads II TO The contemplation OF obie cts
most pleasing and congenisl to its nature.
soft iethargy ereeps over US, harmonic
ing every feeling andVmoo:hing ever a..
periiy. Then. should he sAade ofdcparfsd
joys, ofby past years. fall upon It's cioudlsss
serenity. the i'm ages i, swai IN, are 40 mel.
lowed by the sweet stiffness Of the scene
mat we regret the rising recollections as the
dear loved memorials Of those " no have
departed from US forever. The memory
OF all that in early life had entwined With
our best and dearest affections, OF W hat the
rude tide oftime has swept from vs forever.
leaving bot lingering vesiige TO tell TINT
ssea thing has been: all come mellowed
by time. and endeared by absence, as ten.
der and as lovely as fancy can fashion
them.
10 moments like these, we forget that
our iot iscast in cold uncbaritable world.
the 'reseLery, ingratiiude Of seeming q
irisnds fade from the mind. and evcry as.
sooiaiion which the moral excellence of
those we loved and trusted. rise 10 the
view undsshed with the cold realities of
common lite.
NJ this hour the great human family are
a. rest. the prince and The begssr are a.
like iorgetful ofthe imaginary distin notion.
which raises the one, as far above the or.
binary standard Of humanity, as il de-
grades the other below II. They are now
equal; The difference that can exist be.
tween them. is the sound sIuu,bers which
await the child Of poverty and misfortune;
aud the restless and perturbed dreams
which harrow up the soul, and break the
long-sought sleep OF the inmate Of the
chamber Of greatness. The pursuit Of
wealth, the glare OF ambition, the way
wardness and instability OF fortune, throw
. severish saxiety over the waking mind OF
the great man which peneirsies the reees.
SOS II his chamber: and when al length
wsaried nature impsfiovsly demands .
respite from cares that weaken and con.
sumo the energies OF the soul. his sleep
ing fancy still clings 10 the object ~ Uissc
andhsrrasses the mind with all the per-
plsxities Of real life.
Thrice happy, iowly clown,
Uneasy lies The head hat wears n crown"
~ this hour the man whose ziS-zag &c.
centric course Of life. displays all the Va.
carries Of within and caprice; whose mind
has burst through the bounds Of common
sense and oyefleaped the barrier Of pru.
denee add discretion. can muse on macy
. wise plan which has lain dormant Tor
years. or has been brought forth only to
be thrown aside. without trial Of lts e.
hcacy OF decision uPon its merits; here
he may
Ponder Jaqucs' moral strain.
Or muse wi,h Hamlet vi-e IN vain"
Or eslrsnged from The dull realities Of
common hfe, he may erect castles ~ ne
air, and dwell with she RAPTURE ol . child
on the painted bubble, ~ Il floats before
The eye Of fancy. Rich 10 ell the luxu-
RES Of imsginstiOn, he looks with pity or
contempt upon The eommoa pursuits OF
men, and wondsFs that the poMps suG paA-
ifiss Of this world can engaes the sstsn.
,ioa Of Falioasl creation. Plesssd With
The Iissls world Of hsPpinss' and Plsssurs