Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-05-15


distress This every one knows, and will readily
allow upon being suggested yet still cannot behold
nor even cast thought upon those objects without
shuddering for knowing that living person must
suffer grievousy under such appearances they become
habtually formidable to the mind, and strike me-
chanica hcrror which s increased by the customs of
the world around u.s."
There is usually one pang added voluntarily and
unnecessarily to the fear of death, by affecting to
compassionate the loss which others will have in US.
If that were all we might reasonably set minds
at rest, The pathetic exhoration country tomb
stones, "Grieve not for me, my wife and children
DEAR" &c. is for the most part speedily followed to
the letter We do not leave great void in society
are inclined to imagine, partly to magnify our
importance, and partly to console ourselves by
sympathy. Even in the same family the gap is not
great the wound closes up sooner than we should
expect Nay, room is not unfrequentv thought
better than our company. People walk along the
streets the day after deaths Just as they did BEFORE
and the crowd is diminished. While we were
living, the world seemed in manner to exist only
for u.s. for our delight and amusement because it contr
buted to them But hearts to beat, and it
goes usual and thinks no more about us than it
did in our lifetime. The million are devoid of senti-
ment and care little for you me as if we be-
! longed to the moon. We live the week over in the
Sundays newspaper, are decenty inferred in some
obituary at the months end 1t is not surprising
that we are forgotten soon after quit this mortal
stage we are scarcely noticed while we are on it.
1t is not merely that names are not known in
Chna-they have hardly been heard of in the next
street. We are hand and glove with the universe,
and think the obligation is mutual This is an evil
dent fallacy. If this, however, does trouble us
now, it will not hereafter. A handful of dust can
have quarrel to pick with its neighbOrs, or COM
plant to make against Providence, and might well
exclaim, If 1t had but understanding and tongue,
Go thy ways, old world swing round in blue ether
voluble to every age you and shall iostle -
1t is amazing how the rich and titled and even
some of those who welded great political power are
/ forgotten:
! "A little rule little sway,
/ Is all the great and mighty have
Bewixt the cradle and the grave -
and after its short date, they hardly leave a name
behind them. "a great mans memory may at the
common rate, survive him half year, His heirs
and successors take his titles, his power, and his
wealth-a that made him considerable or courted by
others and he has left nothing else behind him either
fater or benefit the world. Posterity by any
means so disinterested as they are supposed to be
They give their gratitude and admiration only in
return for benefits conferred. They cherish the
memory of those to whom they are indebted for in
struction and delight and they cherish it just in
proportion to the instruction and delight they are
conscious of receiving The sentiment of admiration
springs Immediately from this ground and cannot be
otherwise than we-founded.*
The effeminate clingng to life such, as a gene
raj abstract idea. is the effect of highly civilized
into all the vicssudes and dangers of war; or stakeC
their all upon single die, some one passion
which, if they could not have gratiied life became
burtheD to them-now our strongest passion is t.
think, OUR chief amusement is to read new plays new
poems, new novels and this may do at leisure
In perfect security, ad minimum. If we look into
the old histories and romances before the beHeS-ere
neutralized human affairs and reduced passion to
state OF mental equisocaton, find the heroes ant
heroines not setting their lives at pins fee bu
al.
in very wontonness of spirit They raise their fond
for some favorte pursuit to its height to pitcl
of madness, and think price dear to pay for it,
full qualification. Every thing else is dross. The,
go to death to bridal bed, and sacrifice themselves
or others without lemorse at the shrine of love.
honor, of religion, or any other prevailing feeling
r Romeo runs his T" sea-sick weary bark upon tht
rocks of DEATH the instant he finds himself deprive,
OF his Juliet; and she clasps his neck in their las
agonies, and follows him to the same fatal shore
One strong idea takes possession of the mind and
rules every other and life ITSELF oyless witLoa
that becomes an object Of indifference or loahng
There is at least of Imagination in such stat
of things, more vgor of feeling and promptitude Il
act than in lingering langiid protracted attach
ment to life for its poor sake. II is perhaps ais
better, well more heroical, to strike at SOM
daring or darling object, and if we fail in that Il
take the consequences manfully, than to renew tn
I lease OF tedious, spirtess, charmless existence
merely Gas Pierre says $50 lose it afterwards in SOM
e vile braw - for some worthless object Was Their
not spirit of martyrdom well as mixture of tn
reckless energy of barbarism in this bold defanc'
It of DEATH Had not religion something to do with il
the implicit belief In another state of being whic
It rendered this ct less value and embodied something
T beyond K to the imagination; so that the roug
soldier, the infatuated lover, the valorous knight &c
could afford to throw away the present venture,
take leap into the of futurity which the mod
e efn sceptic shrink5 back FROM with all his boaste
o reason and vain philosophy, weaker than woman!
cannot help thinking myself; but have endeavore
explain this point before, and will hot enlarge far
u ther on II here.
IS life of action and danger moderates the dread
death. 1t not Only gives forttude bear pain bu
II teaches at every step the precarious tenure O.
g which we hold our present being. Sedentary an
studous men the most apprehensve on this score
e DIR. Johnson was instance in point. A few year
seemed to him over, compared with those sweep
ing CONCENTRATIONS on time and infnity with whic
he had beer used to pose himself In the stiO-life
n a of letters, there no obvious reason for
II change He might sit in armchair and pour on
cups oea all eternity Would it had been possible f.
him to do sol The rational cure after all for tn
nordinate fear of death is to set just value life
If we merely wish to continue on the scene to indug
IT headstrong humors and tormenting passions.
had better BECOME at once: and if we only cherish
st fondness for existence according to the beets
reap from it, the pang feel ct parting with wi
a not be very severe!
ii -
1t has been usual to raise very unjust camor agans
This matter reducibe to moral equation. They
paid Of money raised by voluntary contributions In II
.rieest sense and if they did not bring certain sums int
sums are exactly in proportion 10 the number Of individual
whom ,hei. performances give an extraordinary dsgre
fosr ruolfh ius ~1rh a. fhcv rrl f. frh