The Madisonian., 1840-01-01
THE PAST AND THE NEW YEAR.
~ CHEF JUSTICE MELLEN, or MAINh'

heard, amid the chills and gloom of winter,
when ali around reminds US of our departed
friends and the less we have sustained, Is Pc
culiary adapted TO arouse US from our mat
tention TO the lapse of time, and impress on
our hearts the solemn truth that lie ltsell Is
but vapor. Many, il is true, when they look
into the grave of the year. may experience
rush Of bitter feeling, as they iondly recoi'ect
how many cherished hopes they have been
called upon to bury in the tomb, during lhe
lapse Of the year; how many friends have
proved false or ungratelul- many OF their
suns have gone down in the gloom OF solitude,
or amid scenes of sickness and poverty, or OF
signing and sorrow. All this is true, and such
ever has been ard ever will be the complex IN
Of human life. But though thousands are
thus educated in IA school where such Is the
salutary discipline, yet millions have been
spending the year in peace and Joy-in health
and abundance. Their journey has been
gladdened with sunshine, and their course has
been through fields OF beauty and beside the
still waters of comfort Ii is useiul--lt Is
species of gratitude thus TO look back and
trace the course we have been pursuing. III
it has been delightful, or smooth and peace
full, our hearts should melt in tenderne IS,
while me look Ia the fountain Of all our bless
ings. Ii our course has been wearisome
through fields Of sterility, or melancholy and
companonless, we should remember that
Wisdom and Goodness preside over our des-
tInies, whether we are breastlng the storm,
or calmly beholding the rainbow Of promse.
The year that is bidding us adeu, was
pleasant in its course, and in It's decline gra-
dual and beautiful. An unusual degree OF
soilness distinguished its autumn, resembling
the last years of the life Of man, when the
agitation of the passions has in great mea-
sure subsidized when his feelings have become
tranquized and all around him peaceful and
serene, it he has been careful to regulate his
conduct, on liie's journey, by the principles OF
justice and the commands of duty--it in his
social intercourse his passions have been pre-
served in due suhlccton to the gentle nliu-
ences Of a benevolent heart, displaying ilsell
in acts Of mercy like the good Samaritan,
Sure the last end
OF the good man is peace. How calm his exit!
Night dews fall not more gently on the ground,
Nor weary, worn-out winds expire SO soil"
The new year to which we are just TO be in
troduced is, in one sense, perfect stranger,
though we have long been intimate with the
family to which it belongs, and of course have
some general acquaintance with certain iea-
lures Of its character, leading us TO anticipate
its promises and its failure to perform them
IN many insiances--its smiles and lis tears
its batteries and its frowns--lts galies and
hopes-its gradual decline, decay and disso-
luton: but we have abundant reason too for
ndul9lng the belief that we may enjoy thou
sands OF blessings, If we are disposed to che
rish proper leellngs-to be kind and courteous
and obliging, and ever on our guard to avoid
unnecessarily wounding the feelings Of others;
ever ready 10 acknowledge the lavors we re-
ceive, and render a suitable return.
How easily all this may be done How
often is it grossly neglected lie who con-
suits his own ease and comfort cannot III any
manner attain the desired result 50 readily and
certainly, as by habitually consulting the ease
and comfort # others, with whom he is in the
habit Of associating and this is true polite
ness also. A man who is dissatisfied with
himself and those around him, and laboring
under the darkening influence Of disturbed or
morose feelings may travel from Dan to
Beersheba and say it is all barren !" to him It
will appear so and the effect would be the
same if his journey lay amidst the most de-
hghtful scenes Of rural beauty. The seasons
Of the year all give their annual lessons for
instruction. Ii IS our wisdom to regard them.
carefully Spring summons Us all to cheer
tul activity in vain. Summer performs what
spring had promised, and shews US the ad-
vantage of listening to early instruction and
wisely improving it. Ten thousand songsters
are filling the branches with their anmating
strains Of music and gratitude, and teaching
Us % enjoy, as they do the countless blessings
and bountes OF nature: their music never
la'ling-nor do we see il ending in discords.
Let Us all, us we journey onward together
through the year, learn to tune our hearts as
they DO their voices, and pass the feeting Pc
ROD IN harmony, and in that cheerfulness
which the excellent Addison has honored with
the name OF a continual expression of graft
tude to Heaven.
In Germany the study and practice Of mu-
SIC are general among the people. Besides
other advantages resulting from making mu-
sic part OF common education, it is not ro-
mantle or utoplan TO observe that il teaches
how easily music-pure and surprising mu-
sic-'nay be made on the same instrument,
Wnlch under an ignorant or pcrverse touch
VIII send forth dlscords in prodigious varie-
ues' lie who has become acquainted with
Wy instrument, though not master of II, well
knows how TO avoid those combinations of
sound which are painful TO the ear and often
tend TO disturb feelings and passions. What
tones are sweeter than those produced by the
gentle breeze Of heaven in passing over the
strings OF the -Eolian Harp7 The reason is.
those strings are soattuned as that their yibra-
tlons will not respond except in notes of har.
mony but only disorder the strings, by in.
~creasng the tension of some and decreasno
that Of others, and the sweetest zenhvr viii