The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-05-09
FOR THE OTTAWA FREE TRADER.
WHAT - 'EssyTEe

What is Truth is perhaps the most
interesting and Difficult, enquiry that has
ever engaged the powers Of man. While
he enjoys the highest state of improve
ment-while he sits on 4 mountain emf.
nence basking in the beams of science
and lierature-in an atmosphere burning
with intellectual and moral light, though
he looks down on the world below and
sees the clouds OF error that roll and break
upon the common level far beneath him,
still he asks with childish simplicity ::
What is Truth? His fellow yielding to
the momentous weight Of the question,
can only echo back, WHAT is TRUTH!
Truth is plain and unassuming. Ii,
gains its voiaries by its own native worth
and virtue, without the dazzling train Of
power, the gliueIing insignia, and the
trumphal car. But II is by these and
these alone that Error marches onward.
The dark. the feeble, and the supers,i-
tious mind is captvated by show. The
promulgators of Error have ever affected
power and greatness by 'extraneous in
sigma, TO supply the defect of inward re-
ali,y. Witness the pomp and spleandor
which accompany the train Of war, cast
ing the robe of glory over the unutlerable
de(ormi,ies which MAKE up its affected
greatness. Witness the mdgnficence and
show with which monarchy is envelop-
ed--lhe love-lhe honor--the daring
quest of chivalry. Those human ins,iiu-
tons which at times have borne unboun-
ded sway over the minds OF men, have
masked themselves in all the show of
goodness and heavenly virtue, while with
i'll they were the whiled sepulchre. They
have assumed every badge and name that
sounds majestic, thus gaining thousands
Of superslilious admirers caught by things
that glare and glitter.
Such has been the course of Error,
pressing its claims upon the dark minded
credulous by show and allec,alion, while
Truth has sought TO gain admirers by its
simple self. When seen like the polar
star of night, it guides the mariner DER
the trackless sea and brings hlm to his
destined port. Blu. Error, like the storm,
obscures the light, mingles heaven and
earth in its progress, accompanied by the
deep.,oned thunder and the glare of light
ming. while the distracted lost mariner,
tossed by the mad and ioamng pillows,
is cast to perish on the rocky shore, or
buried beneath the waves. Error is an
ignis fatuus, switch leads to bewider
and dazzes to blind"-but Truth is the
{" cloud and the pillar" which, though
they lead through desert will finally
conduct TO the Gland of promise"
Truth is invulnerable by the most power.
full weapons of its adversaries, and in all
conflicts will finally prevail. With SIM
pie weapon like the STRIPPING warrior, its
march is bold and victorious against a gi-
ant adversary. II forwards best in open
warfare, without mean articles and ins-
diary plots, nor does it suffer when these
are employed against 1t; but its weapons
are powerful and are lily guarded agans,
by Falsehood's weak protectors. Yet,
men have sometimes feared for its final
success--thus have thrown before il the
frail shield Of falsehood. Blu, they do il
TO their shame, confusion and overthrow
Itrequires no such protecting allies-,hey
are like the sick, the wounded Of an ar.
my-they are an impairment, they wca
ken its force and hinder its progress
Truth stands forth in all its beauty ant
power when solitary and alone.
Like the more precious metals, ,hi.
mental ore lies not on the surface O