The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-05-11
For The Telsgraph.l
TO aKARA.n

The age is wonder-for Genius has flung
The spell Of her glory DER mountain and plain,
And the harp, that q Homer once timidly strung,
Is silenced by !. KAsA's cnrapturing strain!
No government has ever given more
splendid examples of the benefits arising
from free institutions, than the United States.
Although there are no direct fayors confer
red on literary men from the head of author
ity, as there sometimes are in monarchical
governments, yet here every author can ex-
clusively claim the profits arising from his
iabors, and undoubtedly enjoy the honors
resulting from the same. The moral and
intellectual Improvement of man has never,
perhaps, been witnessed to such an extent
as in America. There is something in the
genius Of the place, that gives energy to
thought and vigor to the mind. To lofty
and devious paths of untried learning, the
course of the enthusiastic youth is bent,
and thousands ascend the rugged mountain
OF tame, and seem almost unconscious of the
progress they have made, until they hear the
plaudits of the multitudes below, greet them
IN wild and continued reclamation. At
once startled, they are brought to reflect
upon the means they used to achieve this
eminence and distinction. Some attribute
1t to books which they have written; others,
to speeches which they have made; others,
to an Improvement on the steam engine;
some, to the mere fact Of being in high
offices; and it is not unfrequently the case
that some daring genius accounts for his elc
walton in public opinion (but most generally
his own) from The mere fact of having given
the world literary effusion, in prose or
verse. To this latter genus, "Kara''
belongs.
Genius is Of spontaneous growth. 1t
springs into existance without giving the
world the signal of its approach. There is
no peculiarly in the climate where it is
reared or has its birth. 1t arises like a CO.
net in beauty and brittany, and it electri-
les the world with the lightning of its fires.
It is, says Cicero, eNatura ipsa ralere, ct
mentis siribus ercitari, ct quasi quodam di.
'ino spir'tu AFFAIR." This, perhaps, is the
best definatim of genius, that language could
utter, or the mind conceive.
Every citizen of this country has equal
claims to honor and distinction. 1.-The should
AL to rise, the fault is his own, and is not
to the principle of selfgovern-
nent or selfcontrol. Real merit will never
% overlooked. 1t may be neglected for
'me, but then, public opinion when fixed
'pon it, will be more firm and unwavering.
ienius, of itself, is always blessing or its
to the nation in which it springs. |
Moral education points genius to its proper
'oa',-and when this is wanting, it breaks
Wild and furious upon the minds of men,
'orrupting every thing it touches, and faint
ng the very atmosphere we breathe.
With free and enlightened people, there
nothing more enrolling and Characteristic
# nations prosperity, than to see every |
nan striving, by honorable means, to attain
and elevation.-Poyerty, in this |
country, has no royal evils attached to it,
IS own private inconvenience are its only
mpediments; talents are not kept kown by
I, but seem to rise to greater splendor and
distinction, and carry with them greater
weight and dignity when the possessor is |
poor man. The most patriotic statesmen,
md men of the most unbounded intellectual
requirements, owe their birth and political
elevation, to American soil. Although the
United States have, hitherto, been far be-
lind Europe in Poets and Philosophers, she |
low may well boast of having a genius
lmong her people! The emenations of so
fright mind as s.KARA's' must undoubt-
IDLY draw the eyes of the nation upon him,
land amid the general wonder that is excl
ed by such daring spirit, his fellow-citiz-
ms will be fred with energy and exertion
t the splendid example he has given! IS
'enius be spark of Heavens unquencha-
lie fire, this lsgalis- Prometheus, is more da-
ing than his wiley prototype this modern
fispring of Iapetus and Clymene, though
uccessful in mounting to the chariot of the
Jun, goes unaided by Minerva, and has
ot cunning enough to conceal the treasure