Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-09-06
THE AIMS OF LIFE,

BY THE HON. ELLIS LEWIS.
WHAr is WEALTH
A barque full freghted with the ills of life;
Possession and pursuit alike afllict
Who hath it not burhens his precious years
With schemes by day and visions through the
night
Ormeans TO grasp the phantom dearly bought
And he that hath il bears a world of care
To save it from decay and wes of man,
From claims in chancery and from suits at law,
From falls of stocks, and frauds, and sad defaults
or those whose agency he needs must trust
Each anxious to secure the splendid curse
That blights the peace of all its voaries
Earrings or Rothschilds, Astors or Girards,
Their golden millions and laboiious lives
Are paid cheapy as the slave is paid,
With food and raiment, and when dead a grave,
Then this posthumous evil superadd-
That spendthrlt heirs and reckless devisees
May scatter their broad earnings TO the winds,
And nought be left to witness such men lived
And toiled and died. but what the world calls
FAME.
And what is FAME7
'Tis the vibration of the viol's string;
'Tis but the echo of the distant hill
The bare vibration of a sound;
The shadow, not the substance of mems deeds:
The deeds once over, and the substance gone,
The echo ceases and the shadow flies
As things that have been are now no more
If WEALTH and FAME alike deny repose,
And fail life's long struggle TO repay,
What is there else for restless mans pursuit
An inexperienced and confding youth,
In the warm flush of his fresh feelings cries,
That FRrEApsnIr's balm the culture we'll rewards,
And gives a lasting solace TO the mind.
And what is FRIRNDsHIr2
'Tis to be Graded in the tall trees top
In Summers sunshine while oerhanging boughs
Rear high their shadowy bowers and rustling
leaves,
Like many thousand slaves fan the soft air,
And bring it fresh and fragrant to our lips
But when the winters SHOWS and storms ap-
proach,
/ The zephyrs leave us to the whirlwind's rage;
The sycophantic leaves withdraw their care;
! The branches yield no longer their support,
But break beneath us in our hour of need
. Thus human faith, when most we want its stay :,
What is there, then, in this rude world of ours
On which our best affections can rely!
Some gentle maiden with her bright black eyes
Dancing with JOY amid the crimson tide
That gathers IN her face as first she owns
The deep emotions of her trusting heart,
Looks archly up and softly answers LOVE
And what is LOVE?
| 'Tis the bright sun of springs delightful morn,
| Sending his radiance TO the dew-drops round
! As freely as he lights the orbs Of Heaven,
! And sweetly touching al the things of earth
/ With rainbow hues; Sut when the evening comes,
( The spangled dew-drcps are exhaled and gone
! The sun descends into his I"sky grave,
! And all the brightness of the glt,erng scene,
Tint after tint has faded from our view,
While nought is left to stay the gathering gloom,
But dim reflections, from the western sky,
or glories passed away, the memories
or early loves estranged, or cold in death,
Then what shall bring us solace aud repose
What cheer the wearied soul in the dark hour
, OF sad extremity, When all is gone
When earthly hopes are fed, and every cord
Is broken that was londly twined by Love
When Wealth and Fame and Friendship prove
unreal,
RRLIGroS only can true good supply.
1 And what's RELIGIoN'
| 'Tis mol the fiery zeal that 10 the stake
Condemns brother for opinions sake;
, lis not selfrighteous dogmas dealt around
by each sectarian higot who forgets,
In mystic speculation, Christian love,
The rights of Justice and of charity:
But It's 10 fix our hopes on things 10 come-
To offer the hearts incense up 10 God,
Yielding il in an aIl.confding faith;
To love our neghbors as we love ourselves,
And bless them with the charities of life,
Unlike the crescent of the Musselman,
Which curves TO suit mems passions, filling Hea-
With the vile lusts of Earth, the Cross of Christ
Holds out its line of rectitude, and pleads,
Through blood aud suffering, with fallen man,
To cruelty the evil thoughts which keep
The soul unfit for the abodes of bliss;
| Teaching in silent eloquence to all,
"iiomage to God, and deeds of love TO Man"
A steamboat three hundred feet in length is
about 10 be built on Lake Erie.