New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-07-16
THE TINES
ALECTURE, BY RALPH VALID
From The Dial.

TUX TINES. as we say or the present aspects
of our social state, the Laws, Divinity, Natural
Science. Agriculture, Ant, Trade, Letters, have
their root in an invisible spiritual reality 10 aP-
pear in these aspects they must hrst exist or nave
some necessary foundation. Beside ali the small
reasons We assign, there is great reason ioi l"e
existence of every extant fact areason when he'
grand and immovable, often unsupported, behind IL
in silence. The Times are the masquerade oi the
cternites: trivial to the dull, tokens OF noble aud
majestic agents to the wise; the receptacle IN
which the Past leaves its history the quarry out
of which the genius of to-day is building up the
Future The Times-thc nations, manners, IN
stitutions, opinions, votes, are to be studleu as
omcns, as sacred leaves, whercon wcighty sense
;s inscribed. if we have the wit and the love to
search it out Nature itself seems to PROFOUND
TO Us this topic and to invite US to explore the
meaning Of the conspicuous facts OF the day ~
ervthing that is popular II has been said, deserves
the attention of the philosopher. Andths for the
obvious reason that although 1t may not he oil any
worth in itself yet it characterizes the people.
Here is very good matter to be handled, II we
are skilful: an abundance ot imporI1nt pfactlcoi
questions which il behoOycs Us to understand LEI
VS. examine the professions OF the attacking ana
defending parties Ilele is this Great fact OF Com
seryatsm. sntrenched in its immense rcdonbts, "i'h
Hmmalch for it, front aud Atlas for lis iank, and
Andes for it, rear, and the Atlantic aud facihc
seas for it, bitches and trenches, winch has plant
ed it, crosses and cresccnts, and stars and stripes
and various signs and badges of possession, over
every rood of the planet, and says, VIII mona
fast and to whom | will. will give; and whom
will. will | exclude and starve 90 says Con
,orvatism and all the children of men attack the
colossus IN their youth, and ALL or all but lew,
bow before ii when they are old. \ necessity not
vet commanded. "A negative imposed ON the VIII ot
man by his condition, deficiency Ii ms force Is
the foundation on which II rests Let tins side "
fairly stated. Meantime, on the other part, arses
Reform. and offers The sentiment OF Love as an
overnatch 10 this material might. | wish TO con
slider well this affirmative side, which has loiuor
port and reason than heretofore, which encroaches
on the other every day, puts out OF codnicnsn'e
out of reason. and out of temper and leaves IL no
thing bat silence aud possession
The fact Of Aristocracy with its two weapons oil
wealth and manners Is as commanding feature
of the nineteenth century, and the American re-
public. as of old Rome or modern England. The
reason and influence of Wealth, the aspect OF PHI
losophv and Religion. and the tendencies which
have acquired the name of Tnnscendentalism IN
Old and New England; the aspect OF Poetry as the
exponent and Interpretation OF these things ; the
fuller dcvclopemeut aud the ircer play OF Charsc-
Ter a. a social and political agent these and
other rcaisd topics vii! in turn come To br con
sdcred.
But the subject of tho Times is not an abstract
oucstion We talk OF the world, but We Inean Il
few men and worscn If YOU speak of the age.
You mean your own Flatoon # people, as Milton
and Dante painted in colossal their platoons' and
called them Heaven and He'll In our idea OF
proercss. We donot 90 out of thus personal picture.
We do not think the Shy Will be hiuer' OF grass
,,reene,. on oar climate more temperate, bat only
that our relation to our fellows will be simpler
and happier What Is the reason 70 be given Tor
this extreme attraction which persons have tor Us,
hut that thoy are the Ascl they are the results OF
the Past; they are the heralds OF the futuge-
They indicate-these witty, suffering, bluShing
;niir1idatine rlgas of the only in which there
are individuals and changes, how lar on tic ate
has gone and what il drives at. rs trees make
scenery. and constitute ike whole hospitality oi
the landscape 90 persons are the world 10 persons
A cunning mystery bv which the nreai DcSait oil
thoughts and OF planets takes tins engaging iorin'
10 bring, as 1t would seem, il meanings nearer 10
the mind Thought. walk and speak, and look
with eyes at me, and transport me INTO new ana
magnificent scenes. These the pgnscni III
s,ructors who thrill the heart OF each ct ". and
make all other teaching formal and cold. ITO"
follow them with aching heart, with Pinins desire
coun, myself nothing before them. would DIE
for them with JOY they can do what 'hey wil.
With me. How they lash u with those tongues
How they make the tears siar'' make US blush and
rrn pals. and lap usin Eysium to ''othins dreams
md castles in the all By tones OF uiumph; OF
dear love; by threats by pride thar freezes these
have the skill to make the world look bleak ano
inho.pabc, or seem the nest ct tendsI1e, ' anS
ioy, 1 do not wonder at the miracles winch Poe'r!
.,,ribr,c, to the music Of Opncus, when remem'
BIER what have experienced from the 'aTTd noIg'
If the human voice. They are an inca'u'aO.'
energy which countoryals all other forces IN ma