The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-12-23
-IeISlS SI@Io'G
The Autumn Leaf.


Stained, wilhered, scorched by the crisp
ing blast, to be blown by the remorseless
and Implying winds. Yet pensive as ii
is, it speaks in no harsh tones to the well
djusled MINDFUL modulated to harmo-
ny of tone, it ullers voice of kind adj
moniion, as well to the heart of woman,
in her pride of beauty, as to the soul of
man, in the grandeur of his ambition
Yet why be pensive at beholding his yell
low tinted leaf, dyed in the hues of its ex-
piring season; when like our frail bodies,
it is but the garment of The towering oak J.,
whose spirit remains untouched by the
blast, to renew its beauties with the open
ing Spring To the eye, when Winter
howls around us, all things that display
their summer pride appear to perish
while the principle of Life retreats to its
citadel or secure abode, to send forth fresh
creations in the dawning Spring. So it is
with the external forms of mortal clay
The winter Of life comes upon us, with
lis kind and palernal evenings, frst-of
wholesome lrost-lhen falling leaf
then yellow wrihke--a faded cheek
a laltering voice-a dim eye-a palsied
hand-but HEART warm as when first
the young blood rushed with tumulluous
joys, through the swelling veins:-,bul the
Leaf G.lls-lhe IMMORTAL SPIRIT of the
old Oak slill remains, to bid defiance 10
the wrath of Time-lhe change of SEA
SONS, and the sport of winds. How beau
tiful an emblem of the Immortality of the
Soul! The body may decay-wilher and
dic--as all things of Earth must change
their Earthly form but the Soul survives
forever-the sPIRlT-w hat power can
touch !! what force Destroy what Laws
suhjugate? 1t livelh forever! Sill is
there something of pensive lesson to
the sensitive mind. in the falling Leaf of
Autumn, We all shrink with instructive
terror from deslruclion-even the destruc-
ton of FORM, figure, mechanism, and or
ganIzation. Hence our feeling of preser-
walton is essential to existence. 1t is this
dread of failing into nought,' that sus-
tains us through life. Every surrounding
circumstance of Nature: the vicissiludes
OF Seasons-lhe mutations of matter-,he
revolutions Of physical, as well as moral
naure-all calculate the great Issson OF
sympaihy-of charily-of benevolence-
Of love. The falling leaf, reminds us of
'hc cutting blasts OF angry winter, to the
children OF want. Are our fellow crea-
lures well provided Gor2 Has The WIDOW
her fuel Has the afflicted victim OF pow
erty and disease, herewith to shield him
from the blas2 Are we ourselves bless
ed with abundance-are we pampered
wish goods2 Let us shake the superiluily
to The sons and daughters of affection -
As the ruslllng leaves stew the hoary-
ground before us, let us think, that so
may our fortunes be shaken from the tree
of our prosperity, by the will of God, in
an hour-ir moment Woe to them.
who are hard of heart! Woe! to them.
who wrap themselves up in the mantle OF
prosperity. and heed not the tears of the
widow, the wallirgs of the orphan the
cravings of want, and The signs of des-
pair.
Better to be poor forever than crown
GU Will Solu. uiit lIuNC Ill Iltui
for The blast will come that shall slrev
your wealth on the ground. or smlte you
blind in its possession. Believe not thai
the voces of Nature bowling and signing
around you mean nothing. There is no
a leaf but speaks-not a breeze but is ele
quent in music, to the soul of the mar
who has seen God! There is not TEN.
pest in the Heavens, nor calm on the
wave, but cen be read, like the volume Of
eternity, by the plying heart of kind
gentle, and sympalbizing spirit Goo
speaks i'll all his works but woe to TIT
man who has not learned to hear this lam
guage, the language of the heart, and TO SCI
in the withered leaf the vice that s tire W:
the ground,
To WOMAN, in the prime Of her beauty
the AUTUMN LEAF ought ever to be Gear
Woman ! fragile kind afectiona,e wo-
man oh be ever charitable TO the poor
Teach man how little he knows of TIT
luxury of feeling, the true rapture Of life
who is gnoran, Of the pleasure of DOING
GOOD. TO you, who ever stand on tn
brink of eternity, be committed the task q
teaching man the importance Of perusini