Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-12-16

IL WM y PORTER, Esq. recently delivered
an address before the Literary Society of Laiay-
cite College. at Easton The address is an excel
lent production, highly crcditablc 10 the charac-
ter and abilities of Mr. Porter We have no
room for the whole address, but the following cN-
tract inculcates useful lesson on the ncccs-
sty of the practice of virtue in all the relations
of life, that we should like to see il in the hands
of every American youth
''The doctrine, that virtue is necessary to
the stability of society, is hardly trucr than
trlte. The whole history of men speaks on
This subject, 4 voice that can never be other
than wIiiully misunderstood. The pre-emi-
nent necessity for its existence in Republic,
is also inscribed on the past as by the hand
OF giant. When those who compose the 90
vcrnmcnt are vicious, how can it he admins
tered! When the laws are invaded, and the
murderous arm is raised, and property becomes
insecure, and grim Anarchy stands close at
hand, bestowing ghasily smile upon the scene,
who shall speak peace tn the storm Do YOU
approach the pulpit That is occupied by the
peope--and though a peculiar pCoplc--stIll by
the people. Do von call upon the press To open
lis artillery ! That is controlled in a high de-
gree, by the popular will Do you call upon
| the officers Of Justice They are part of the
people. Do you turn 10 the army They
/ form another portion. How, then, can Re-
| public sustain itself, unless sustained by vlru-
| ous members But it is not 80 much of ,hs
! | speak, as Of the tendency of virtue 10 pro-
/ duce individual happiness and elevation, The
, position is as true IN the one case, as in the
other. Not 10 mention physical results, the
/ time consumed in the practice OF vice would
. rBl lth pi - nj al N IN
triumph. In the pursuit Of any branch of H.
/ tcraturc, and particularly that of poetry or el-
/ oqucnce there can he little doubt, that purity
. ot thought is one of the first elements of sue
cess. Impurities of the blood PROSTATE the boz
. dy, not more speedy nor surely, than grovcl-
hrg thoughts, the mind. We are told that
the frequent contemplation of the beautiful in
the physical world will even leave It's trace:
on the human countcnance Why should moi
the contemplation and the practice Of virtue
also eXalt and purity the mind, and fit il iol
higher flights Thatthcrc are those who pur
sue the opposite course with success is no gooC
argument 10 the contrary. This is an instance
of the most common, as we'll as the most fatal
errors in human logic. The result is her,
produced. not by means of vice, but in despit,
uf 1t. II a modern steamer, bearing burden
of a thousand tons, outstrIp a merchant veSsc
carving bnt JO0-how absurd werct to nttri
butte it 10 the excess OF the cargo! In ont
respect, the cases are parallel. As a matte
ot mere policy then, the student ought TO be
man of more than Spartan virtue. Ills Strug
giles and his hopes demand this. When how
over by the practice Of its kindly Offices, hi
Kindred and his country arc made happier, nm
he is rendered more able to bear the ills tha
G flesh is heir to: when he reflects with ST. p
D ere, that nothing is durable, virtue alone e.
= ceptcd. Personal beauty passes quickly away
fortune inspires nclinoiions graz
dcur iatgues reputation is uncertain Il
, lents, nay genius itself are liable to be impa
= red but virtue is ever beautiful ever divers
: fed, ever equal, and ever vigorous, because
is res gned TO all events, 10 privations as to el
r joyments, to lite as TO death >"