Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-02-10
MONETARY MUSINGS.

Did We contemplate the responsibility of
mind in relation to tho material universe,
only SO far as science and AFT are concer-
ned, We should fall short Of those enlarged
views, which il; becomes US to take. A
liberal intellect, refined by taste and exal.
ted by piety, looks upon the vast structure.
as means Of expanding its conceptions of
God and fam,larizing il with the scenes Of
an approaching immortality. A sympathy
with its objects is part Of our constitution.
The grand and terrible-the sof; and
beautiful, around and above us-appesl 10
The senses but extend their influence TO
The Imagination and affections. Placed
amid the wonderful manifestations OF the
visible creation, man cannot but regard
himself as destined 10 derive exhaustless
qualification from them, and 10 experience
in them, the everlasting sources Of pure
enjoyment. We are convsrsaRi with mys.
teries; flowers are mysteries Of loveliness,
ocean is a mystery Of g'andur; the sky is a
my ssry OF msgn; fiCence; hut we see, that
the human MUD is 10 be educated among
Them for the sublimer disclosures Of almsh.
! iy power, and 10 receive lis most important
lessons Of humiliis from lhoir silon ins;ruc-
tion We are surrounded by symbols; a
dim tracery is over the landscape and fir
mameni; mystic figures address Us on every
hand ; but they are only the type Of other
and sublimer gories, the elch;ngs upon the
outer court OF the divide temple. To make
an appropriate use Of nature, we must view
it as means 10 these ends TO res, in il
as the finale OF thought and feeling 10 TO
rob God and dislonor ourselves. Poetry
has often shown tendency to defy matter.
Philosophy has treated the laws Of the uni
verse not i"frequently, rs if they were in
herent in the objects themselves aud inde.
penden, of all superior agency. The ex
,ravagances Of imagination aud the folles
Of reason have thus met and blended with
each other. Lucrelius and Shelley have
united to bes'ow homage upon blind
Deity, 10 restrain these aspirations, that as
cend above all created things, and crush
those hopes, that seek immortal and infinite
mind Certain forms Of extraordinary
genius are indeed ftle d TO inform nature
with n sort of consciousness and hold SEN
timcntal communion with its scenery
Matter is more than matter 10 such eleya,
ted in,cllects. So full of lle themselves,
they make every object live around Them
So fcrvcnt in sympathy, they bring all
things 10 repay the ou;pourings Of inner
power. There is no Atheism in such op
e-atons. There is no Reinforcement OF
Deity in such sublimatcd exercises. Piety
may flourish and humanity grow intenser
under their influence. CoIeridsc iIuslra.-
cd this beautiful illusion Of genius. Ma.
lure was personal Presence 10 his e:hcr
| allied fancy. The en- nations Of his
spirit ,ranslused animal on end attraction
iu,o the thousand shapes of matter around
him. Pla.onsm, with IFS soul Of The world,
had no charm for him, and yet, he could
perceive in the souHd Of running waters,
mo.e than earthly melody, ard in the gol>
den rad ance Of Tie morning, more than
material spcndor. There is nothing in
the mind Sympathetic with chance. There
is no foundation wiihia for the doctrine Of
| Atheism. Ii men becnne believers in such
opinions, it is by labo:ed attempts Of rea-
soning and violent hostility TO their inslin.
cts; aud even after their reception, they
occupy an isolated position in the intellect
and show tie impossibiily ofan easy coal
escence with the prime pies of our nature.
| Like those deleterous substances, which
the stomach rejects, they cannot mingle
with tho inward life and lose themselves in
| il. There is however a difIusive sentimen.
tality-an inspiring imagnation-a strong
heated loyingness-wi,hin the higher or
der ofgifed men, tina, can mpart portion
of lis own spirituality TO material nature
and invest it with attributes expressive Of
ha.ever is soul-like and God like Chris
tim SourpDir.