Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-04-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Simms' Monthly Magazine.
SPRING.;
"A Fragment from Philosophical Tale.
BY WEN. WRAGG SMITH. .

A Fragment from Philosophical Tale
By wM. WRAGG SMITH.
The spring had now set in 10 all It's
glory. Oh! season Of encouragement! =
Season of delicious dreams! Fresh as the
matin dew-drops on thy fragrant flowers.
are the recollections thou dost renew
The sweet recoleclions thou dosl still AVA
ken. Even as thou biddesi the FROST bound
earth to break the gloomy bondage of win
ter, and array herself in smiling green
the scar and sapless branch 10 put forth
once again buds Of promise, so dost thou
fill the hearts whose hopes are blighted,
and seem dead, with vague and tender as
pirations--wilh assurances Of some sweet
desire yet to be realized, and linked, if not
unto III. '-ding and imperfect bliss of this
world, 10 the perfect beauty, and love. and
harmony Of the next. Come. then thou
genial influence, SIZED upon my soul thy
healing balm :-seep my senses in the
true love Of that eternal beauty, and per
feet love which see mirrored upon the
face Of this natural world :-teach me to
discard those vain hopes, those foolish
lOugings, which were want to haunt my
spirit at the sweet even-lide, when, com
panioned by the solitary whippoorWill,
and the pale slar tha, listened 10 her wall,
| dreamt those youthful dreams Of earthly
bliss, too pure alas land never 10 be ex-
tracted out of the drops of mortal afec-
lions :-melt down these eyes MO more
into useless tears, distilled from the sick
aud wearied heart; but quicken in me
new sense 10 feel alone the divinity OF ;hy
presence, that peacefully and cheerfully |
may 81, me down beneath The late stunned,
oak, whose huary moss beard, waved by
the solemn breeze, has SO often mingled
its sighs with my repiuings, and sadden
no more TO think how changeless are these
olden scenes-how oppressive with former
associations this same melody of The. teath-
ered-while | have been changed; while
chord after chord Of the music which
once played about my boyish heart has,
snapped, and the elan Tyre itself been
crushed by the rough winds of reality
Hail el5hII@s IF ds!Ifj9us SaEAsaf s
unto the simple-minded happy, such fresh
ness, and fullness, as gentle showers bring
unto even flowing brooks. The sorrow
full, and self.exiled from The world, repose
upon thy bosom, drawing from it the milk
of love: they are babes of nature, and in
thee they know-,heir nurse. But sierner
spirits; and manier inlellects, aspire to
mingle with thy godhead, and seek from
thee bolder inspiration. The pnet wraps
himself up III thy elheriai mantle, ana
cheats the worlds vanity aud deluslon
with ideal forms of beauty aud perfection,
His creative power is as boundless as
thine: his being is of a different order from
that of common morlals; he trlumphs
over the mockins past ii is unto him but
as The "baseless fabric Of dream;" its
anguish silly as that of the nightmare,
mol bread Of The infirm' mind, but uecessa.
rily caused by the foul vapors of rebel
lious stomach, and subject always 10 the
test of reason: Ay-even as The dead
leaves of autumn unto thee. 80 Is the past
unto him: for out Of its puirefaclion he
extracts a principle Of vitality, and creates
beauty and freshness, and symmetry, out
of desolalion, and rottenness, and contu-
sion. The philosopher,-lhe man Of ac-
tion,-the mGn Of common sense,-and
common avocatons, dares TO encounter
thee in all Thy plenitude Of ravishins and
volunptuous charms, in the most secret
chamber of thy handuaid nature, without
the fear of being seduced into dreamy lux
urv and lelhargc melancholy, by thy in
eHable enchanlment; and grave science,
and holy contemplation, walk hand in
hand with thee in pure communion, intent
on thoughts that pass the pale OF self. In
the melody ofthy voice they recognise The
music of the spheres, aud not The mourn
rul echo of some sickly sentiment, or re-
suscitated association.
:. Life is short !"-hear the man Of ac-
tion-the IMAM of business-lhe man of
common sense exclaim and, as the lion
shakes the dew,drop from his name, thus
shakes he off from the mind the nDxious
vapors that would settle omit, aud bounds
upon his accustomed path rejoicing in his
conscious strength. Life is short--lo
the spring-tide of nature: ii is the time Of
creation-of busy action: the earth la
bours, grass shoots, flowers spring, The
bee hastens forth, the ant tolls: all is red.
olent of happiness-of The happiness OF
motion-of provident exersion." All is
typical of death and life in The moral, as
well as in the physical condition Of man
The frosts Of winter have strewn around
the tree its perished honors butt repincs
net, neither does il die {: thus doth it ful6
the law and mandate of their Creator.-
And is il no so with man? His early
hopes are doomed 10 perish. Each bios
som of the imagination, as it fades ant
drops upon the earth, becomes no more {
part Of him. Does he not sin against ma
,ure, and against God, by persisting il
cherishing as a wholesome fragrance wha
has become noxious corruption, fostering
the vitais of his being! He has but ful
4 filled a part Of the necessary law of exis
tence. The inevitable decree has gou
forth: change-change-constant change
the bodily frame, feelings, affections, ina
gination, thought, all are in state of pro