Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-04-23

we muSl snOrtly cnaUge II Tor an0tner -
How vain to repine al the disappointments
we so love to magnify, when reflection,
and acquaintance with the actual world,
reduce them mostly to visionary nothings
When we reason that the attainment OF
certain objects depend upon certain means
IIbat if those means were absolutely beyond
our reach, it would be folly-madness TO
seek the object; that, bad they been possi.
+ bic, The mind is at once relieved by the
consciousness of having exerled choice
Tthat the means might have been put in
execution, had not some cost or sacrifice
deferred us,-tiren we must have volunta-
|riIy relinquished The pursuit of the object,
and cannot call that disappointment, which
is spo more than The effect Of preference
bestowed upon some other superior OBJ.
jee,.; il from inclination, though j: were a
weakness. The, lesser object was lost in the
grealer-if from duty, the satisfaction Of a
duty performed rises for ever sweet
smelling SAVIOUR to the heart, cleansing it
Of all the bitterness Of regret. Buff the
means failed us in spite Of exerlion, by the
mere caprice of fortune, let US. triumph
over the dilemma by exclaiming with the
poer, in double sense ::
Numen habes, 81 sit prudentia; sed ,e.
Nosacimus Fortuna, Dean, celoque locamus." "
We often charge a failure 10 fortune,
which little more care-a little more en-
ergy,. on our part, would have prevented
and when after-knowEedge conyinces us
how easily we might now, by pursuing the
proper method. succeed in the attainment
oftie self-same object which we have la
menteG III all The bitterness Of despair as
denied us@snatched FROM US by the cru
city Of fortune, it loses that Importance
with which the morbid imagination has
invested it: for it is natural to US 10 hone
after things which we think we cannot OBJ
tain, and 10 undervalue those which are
either actually in our possession, or which
wssconceive 10 be easily within or reach.
Ifsahis process does not satisfy US, let US
apply TO. our case the more powerful ps:
uaeea the general sense Of. the above
sublime lines. How many different kinds
Of armour may we not put on against this
are ifess Vi a6a ra5g6ing 10
scorn, and trampling under our feet this
mock Of Powef-lhis false divinity; .wheth-
er we resort to the schools of ancient Wis
dom or clolhe ourselves in the mail Of stole
virtue; or learn the cunning and magic Of
pbilosopy; whether, with the Mahometan.
we take refuge behind cloud of smoke,
and flourish a chiboque in the face Of The
loe;. or insult her mock majesty with
simple shrug, answering her frowns with
impulable gravity and brief "Eismet :"
or whether. with more certain security,
we assume the panoply Of christian forti-
tnde and virtue, defy the baifled enemy,
and break in pieces the heathen idol.
When we discover that the means upon
which the attainment OF an object depends,
arc totally Of a different nature from what
we had conceived-repuguanl 10 our feel
ings-and not in accordance witn;the idea
itself we had formed Of the ohject,-as, for
example, if in our love for fair woman
we entertain exalted notions Of the purity
of her mind, and the perfections of her na-
ture,-when the means requisite 10 gain
her are base, trivial, or Inconsistent with
the imaginary romantic attributes upon
which love built lis faith; or if popular
applause has presented itself 10 our youth
ful ambition in The abstract, rehecliug the
spontaneous fruits of noble emotions and
intellectual endowmeuts, and it is seen
thai these rare plants Of promise which we
had sci 10 grow, suspended in too high and
uncongenial medium, wi,her, and','waste
their sweetness on the desert air." while
such as we have rejected as common place.
valueless, aud without fragrauce-rooied
in the earth, and nourished with lis gross.
est misunderstanding sprung up to that
conspicuous height which challenges the
vulgar eye e;-what cause is there Tor any
disappointment! have lost nothing that
/ desired: that whichlis to be obtained, |
ser no value oh. In bargaining with the
world have no, lost the bargain: it is I
who have proposed the terms; il is the
,oorLd which has no accepted them. Who
is The loser !? not /, but the world. The
world may deny this, and cast 10 my teeth
"sour grapes %, can easily give il the
lie by still adhering to my principles
Cesdr ant nutius ~ asked for bread and
ye gaze me stone. let the fable apply
10 those for whom il was intended. Ii
suits the fox: but il is elsewhere written
the wolf, though famishing, scofned' to live
The life of the dog upon the fat Of the land,
With base conditions, and the forfeit of bis
liberty. Let the sleek lick. platter Of the
world bark himself into transient nntoriety
like The cur:' the man Of strong paris, OF
independence, and character, like the no.
bier ANIMAL prefers the sweet thoughscani
giean,ngs of the free mountainstdps and
fresh naive woods Of lofty integrity, and
prime untaihted desire,to the worlds prof:
Tered plenty with It's collar, and chain, aud
degrading service. Were ii no, for ,ht
few who remain infiexible with stern prin,
ciples, steadfast TO their own: creed Of 6
better state of Things; society would be de
prived of those great moral checks 10
| career Of vice, of those mild and salutar!
influences which imperceptibly dispufa'
their purifying beams through it, Of thos'
reserved energies WHichwith electric pow