The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-01-05
"NOWp'

Human nature III all Its speculatIons
upon all subjects, locks backward to
the past, or forward to the future. Pre-
sent, is what we always overlook. In
prosperity we either form trouble from
tomorrow or fear lest ii shall vanish,
and in adversely we remember happier
days or hope of brighter ones. II
does not seem to be in the human mind
TO dwell upon TO DAY; no man OF bus
iness-nor scholar-nor salesman
nor clergy-nor artists TOR their INTEL
lect dwell upon the PRESENT, upon thel
Important NOW. The merchant ever
delights in calculating the effects Of
some ripening speculation or watching
the return OF some adventurous ship.
The scholar porting over his books, Ell
Their dwells or dreams with the old sa-
ges who penned them, or his vivid vis-
ions light the To-CoME with the radi-
ance of lofty ambition The states
man but glances al the present. How
often does he leave undone the things
which suffering people demanded TO
build up financial and diplomatic sche-
mes to act upon a coming generationS
And the clergyman, with eyes and
lieart, land hopes fixed on a misty future
unknown world--upon glorles discov-
cred only in revelation, how frequently
he forgets the evils which throng to-day
10 warn Us ofthose which may come to-
morrow! The Future is his theme, and
when with Bible in hand, he endeavors
to impress its value on human hearts.
it is the warning Of six thousand years
which he brings up to his aid. Es-
seniiaIly. the preacher has little to do
with The Present. Our last example
is the artist-and it may now be re-
sired how he drinks of ancient, Pierlan
springs. How wanders and sits him. in
some Egerisn grot. How quaf the
classic cup which hangs by the moss
grown fount Of antiquity ,rapt, epchan-
ted by dreams Of tie glorious past
and the creations Of the Old Masters!
Or he sees in The very block of marble
before him-rude and all uncut, not
the product of TIE quarry, dug NOW, in
the Present, but that beautifulimpress
Of genius which shall be evolved in
classic and elegant statue il is the fu-
ture genius who attracts the eyes of his
heart and mind. The Present is not
| for him.
And so il is with all Of Us. Even the
wearied editors, though writing 10 dag
speaks only tO-nsoryow. There is no
present With him he, is one day in adj
vance Of al the world.
But suppose the great Now! wiihalt
/ its events sand happeningsin all quarters
/ of the globe, by land and sea, could be
arrested! Frozen into form and sersibiE
Ivy, Sin moment as Byron says in
Manred !? What spectacle would be
lgresented! Human endeagpTsI stopped
/ ur;dway. The desce nding dagger
i ofthe assassin arresled-the ghastly fears
| the whirling wheel stopped--the knife
pflhe OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sped bull
| let, held in midair--lhe ,caEeerlpg ship
asleep on thespilIow, with sails as sun
| in all their graceful ou.liness as Panes
Iol glass. Lovers with "maEbie bps
Il IN Inc first act'' OF courtship, delicious
ldratna--and then in married llfeJ the
Three legged stool fast towering over
lIthe head Of the henpecked husband!
These and much more, impossible
10 the descriptive pen, would he seen
cut short. and embodied into palpablll'
! Ely.-Cgss. Csty. bau
81 KsshsKey K6ss, 4 Chief 81 the Sac
J and Foxes, with some other Of hl
) .ribe, have been taken 70 England q