The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-05-22
]. HOLCOMB, Editor & Publisher

SPiHSi aHu dS nus oeen Sd!u oil the IaEcv
OF Byron. its common breath is sigh,
which it would (no') stiae--its nourish-
ment-its tears-ils music groans and i'm
precautions the temple of Its worship a
dungeon, and its chosen dwelling place a
broken heart"
! The misAnlhrope wars with nature
wars with his fellow men-wirs with his
own interest-wars with his God, and
continually chants the dirgc o! bis own
dead happiness.
Bu, dark and disgusting as is the char.
ac!er of the misonthrope, he is no. entirely
without excuse. Once he possessed pure
and noble nature, and thought his fellow
men as noble as himself And this change
from friendship and love has not breu
momentary, but gradual. Mans mean,
ness has produced it. Experience has
taught him that much oflhe seeming truth
Of the world is hollow arti6ce-that men
are marked by weakness, treachery and
folly. Deceived, forsaken and betrayed,
his naughty spirit scorns 10 hold commun-
ION with The idle crowd. And is there
not enough 10 make him nbhor human ma.
ture2 Can generous nature love sell
fish worId2 Can stern, unffinching hons
esly do less than hate the injustice and
oelfseeking of society," Is it possible for
one who views creation with scientific
eye--wonders at her beauties, and won
dering, acknowledges the greatness Of its
Author, 10 love the stupidity aud ignorance
that can look upon all these beauties with
ou' pleasure or emoIion2 Can a free and
fearless spirit love the crouching slave
the slave Of appetite and passion the
slave Of ignorance ind supersIiliou-thc
slave Of 'yrant who has power 10 bind
only cowsrds ? Il is 10 vain TO look for
u union q elements SO conflicting, Ma
ure does not lead TO such a result.
Uncommon powers Of mind are sure to
expose their possessor TO The insul! and
oppression of an ignorant and degraded
world. Unable to comprehend his grea,
nesa, or appreciate his value, i. Iabors 10
dag the man Of genius from his lofty EN-.
inence and degrade him 10 level with il
self Science has always made martyrs
Of her vo,aries. Discoveries, which in
the end confound immortality and fame,
have been opposed by ignorance and SUI
persilion, and their authors doomed 10 Tor
lures and TO death. Galileo and Colum.
bus were the victims Of discoveries which
revealed to man another Cun,ineu, and
other worlds.
Blu, the martyrs Of s:ience are not thu
only mouumen,s o! mans ba.eness litera-
trr1 has had her victims. Her briehte4,
Ornaments driven 10 madness bv injustice
and neglec'. have wreaktd their vengeance
on The heads of their unworthy prosecutors
and Learned to glory in their hatred OF
mankind. The mobiles, Of the English
poets scorntd and dcspiscd the world, mud
vet, who can wonder al his hatred Did
he not "wrrstle with his lot and suffer
things !ha; cou'd mol be forgiveo?" Did
he not have his brain seated, his heart
riven, hopes Slapped, hume big h,ed and
LIES life lied away? When he dashed
the world, as with whip Of scorpions, it
was but meet return for injlties tina,
could not De forgotten. When he piled
on human heads The mountain oil his curse
i, was only the revenge Of an abused but
noble nature. Blame not the misanlhrope,
for man, not himself has made him what
he is. w. +. w.
L"cts'er, May 1915.