The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-10-12

t hausted nature sunk into slumber, he would star
e in the midst, crying Give me my book an
losing tme!" The Rev. j. Macdonald thu
> writes
81 happened to be in Scotland when the at
tack came on, and thus did not him until thu
last week of his life; but it was rich consolation
) Tor me to find the state of mind in which he lay
; His soul seemed quite detached from all earthly
things, aud quite unwilling to think of them. Elt
acknowledged the wisdom, righteousness & grace
ofthe Lord in so Christening him, and seemed hap
Ply to trace the various steps of that painful ye
gracious process by which the Lord had humbIeC
him. His strain was thanksgiving Two nights
before his death, though reduced to CHASTITY she
eton, he desired to sing some verses of a psalm with
me; and on my proposing to substitute brie
exposition of the l03d Psalm, as that we usually
sing at our communion, shall never forget the
affectngy sweet expression with which he as
scented.
:" He spoke much of Christ as his only hope, and
seemed to have peculiar pleasure in whatever |
said about his glroious righteousness and do
firmly believe that he fell asleep in the Lord.
| held his hand as he expired, which he held out
to me, with the almost in inaudible articulation OF
FAREWELL There were throbbngs, and little
restessness,-bu but no struggIes-he gently died"
We must add the following observations by his
biographer
"The death of Thomas Pringle drewforh an
expression Of aflectonale regret in every civilized
country in the world, where the English lam
guage is spoken. In British India, in America,
IN Africa, the feeling was the same and to the
credit Of human nature be it related, that even his
adversarics joined in amenting when dead the
man they had srivch against when living"
Gone of the 9entIest yet frmest, one of the
humblest yet most high-minded of human beings,
the character of Thomas Prnge was made up of
qualities which excite in equal proportions affection
and respect. With him benevolence was not a
weakness, bat principle. He did not indugc
m DONG good: but his humanity being under
The strict control of his Judgement he refuted prac
tIcaIy the doctrines Of that philosophy which re-
lers even our best actions to selfshness. He was
warm and steady in his attachments but though
he would have risked his life for his friend, he
would not have sacrificed his probity He was
deeply religious, but not of those devotees who
cruelty their countcnances.' Cheerful buovant
and even gay, he eXemplifcd his faith only in
his actions. Open, generous, manly and sincere
| may address him in the words of Charles Lamb,
''' Free from sel-see,ing envy, low design,
l have not found whittier soul than thinen''
x X y X
Surely, when our readers peruse the extracts
which we have made from this elegant and inter-
estlng volume, and are informed that the profits
that may accrue from its sale will be for the benefit
of Thomas Pringle's widow and sistcr-in-law,
great anxiety will prevail amongst them to be pos
sesscd OF such precious record and such a mon
ument Of philanthropy. Besides the memoir up
on which we have dwell, the volume contains the
poems of the deceased, which had previously ar-
peared in separate publications, viz. both the
8 Eephemerides," and the "Afrcan Sketches"
These poems are characterized rather by elegance
than strength, simplicity and no small share of
originality also belong to them while, without
exception they are evidently the offspring of the
heart and IFS spontaneous feelings. We are snre
hat Mr. Richie speaks truly when he SAYS not
4 few of the Sc pieces will continue to facinate
The popular car in our southern colony, as long as
The English language is known at the Cape of
Storms"
WequoteFa specimen from A far in the DESERT
a poem that Coleredoe sointense!y admired as TO
10 little else for some days but to read and re-
lite it.
Afar in the desert | love to ride
With the silent Bush-boy alone by my side:
When the of life the soul ocrcast,
And, sick of the Present, cling to the Past;
When the eye is suilused with regreful tears
From the fond recoIectons of former years.
ana shadows OF things that have long since fed,
Fit over the brain, like the ghosts Of the dead;
bright visions Of glory-that vanished too soon
Day dreams-that departed manhood's noon;
Atachments-by fate or by falsehood relt!
Com panions of early days-lost or left;
\ md my Native Iand-whose magical name
Thrills to the heart like electric flame;
The home of my childhood the haunts of nv prime
Nj the passions aud scenes of that rapturous time
When the feelings young and the world was new
ike the fresh flowers of Eden unfolding to view;
oil ,Lon-- on
Md Ia lone exile remembered of nome
ly high aims abandoned-my good acts undone--
weary of all that is under the II
With that sadness of heart which stranger may scan
fly to the Desert afar from man!
far in the Desert love to ride,
With the silent Bush-boy alone by my side:
When the wild turmoil of this wearsome life,
With its of oppression corruption and strife
The proud mans frown and the base mans fear
NE scorner's laugh, and the sufferers tear
md mace and meanness and fasehood and folly,
dispose me o musing and dark melancholy; 6
When nv bosom is full and nv thoughts are high
md my soul is sick with the bondman sigh
III then there is freedom, and JOY, and pride, T
far in the Desert to ride!
here is rapture to vault the champing Steed ::
nd TO bound away with the eagles speed, e
With the death-fraught freock in my hand
he only law Of the Desert Land!