The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-07-01

ny seas anu worse SClll, by an lncapaclty Il
understand poets soul; see your daughter
turn away from you as if you were snake
and with heart yearning for love and affec
ton, be desolate and lonely like him-and
you had better be an apothecary or measure
e tape.
E But perhaps, my reader, you aim at politi-
cal distinction. You are now only voter in
the sixth ward. Nobody knows you but your
baker and butcher and milk man. They
kn0W you, and mean to know you. You can't
get away from them. Let me ask you, is this
small fame always agreeable Would you
not like sometimes about quarter-day, to be
unknown even to these three humble indiyid-
uals ? What then will be your state when,
mounted on chair above the multitude, not
only the baker and butcher and milk man
look after you, but twenty millions cry out at
, once Mr., Polk~ What hope Of escape? p
There is no corner where you can be unknown
for a moment: you cannot any more look at
the new prints in the booksellers windows
you cannot lounge any more, and read the pa
pers at case. You are the cockerel on the
top Of the meeting house stceple; every body
can see you that want to, and you feel every
gust of popular air. You obey the strongest
party, as the aforesaid cockorcl obeys the
strongest wind and the most you get for
your eminence is the title of tickle" De-
pend upon it, you are better off as an humble
voter in the sixth ward,
Uneasy lies the head that wears crown"
Is the glitter ofroyalty, the pomp of courts,
any recompensc for the fear in which most
princes live? Would you be LOUIS Philippe
and ride in a carriage to be shot at every
now and then? Compare ride in your neat
buggy out to Harl@m with that of king in
his coach and four, trembling at every turn
Of the wheels lest muskct ball pass through
his head. Have you read history for nothing .?
DO you still pine for eminence Become a
candidate for office in a country district, and
see the things that will be said of you. The
dear people Of the opposite party will fish up
something true, and invent what cannot be
proved. You may be elected; bnt while you
gain office, ten to one you loose character and
standing in your community. The fact may
be you are not good enough to be eminent
Dirt is a very good thing in the garden, but
bring it into the house and it becomes obi
Gus.
Here is a young lady who grows thin be-
cause she is not belle. Has she considered
what the life of beauty is? To be hattercd
by every body, bcseigcd with " barncy" and
lies, mock affection and insncere friendship
to be stared at in the street, and to be con-
scious that beauty is preferred to worth; to
feel inferior and be superior in place to be
obliged to still every true emo'ion of the
heart; never to love but to be married in
obedience to what the fashionable world says
she ought to do; finally to wear paint and
false hair, false teeth, and to be false in every
thing; and dying give directions about the
gravc-drcss, as becoming or not My dear
young lady, be a milk maid; dress your rich
tresscs in the glass of the still water; love
some honest lad who will doat upon you; be-
come the mother Of good men; die with some
sense that you have not lived in vain leave
the memory Of good deeds to the poor that
you were a good mothor, kind ncghbor,
nice housekeepcr a frugal wife and such a
reputation is worth all the homage beauty re-
ccivcs, a thousand times over.
And you, Sir, would be tall land knock your
new hat to pieces in stagc-Coach find your
feet dangling out Of bed on cold night; pay
extra for your broadcloth cloak wear low
heels and let your feet in the mud fall in
love with short woman of fortune, and give
up the match to escape ridicule make con-
slant obeisancc in garden walks; never taste
a mouthful of warm soup, and live on cold po-
tatoes on account of the distance between the
JlCtCS buu 1OuI lIlOuUllj every DlUISCl UCIll1
cooled in long current of air; be called
lathy" if you arc lean, and "monster" if
you are fat. Have you considered, Sir, all
these conditions of escaping your modest me-
diocrity of five feet six?
Truly he is the most happy who occupies
middle ground as to money, fame and size.-
The respectable men and women of the world
enjoy life, while the extremes are miserable
the one from surfct, the other from hunger.
Ii might be shown that there is a near resem-
blance between the highest ESQ called) and
the lowest society, That same reckless disre-
gard of public opinion only in the one it is
called independence, in the other desperation.
Kings are heroes, murdercrs, and attain their
ends by violence, and so do robbers and
house-breakers. Very fashionable people turn
night into day, and so do thieves and cut
Threats and gamblers. Dandies change their
dress many times in a day. and so do those
who disguise themselves for plumber or to es-
cape the police. The wealthy ride in coach
es 50 do their servants only on the outside
and the best part Of the turkey often goes in
to the kitchen. 1t is said that the nobility of
England are proverbially careless about dress;
so are beggars.
1t is not denied that there is great virtue
in high places, often; but so is there in low
and humble ones But as man in his best es-
tate is neither fat nor lean, neither tall nor
short, so we contend he is in that condition
neither rich nor poor, neither famous nor in
significant. Genius In proper sense, is I'M
practical. The men who live for fame live for
themselves, not for the world. Wealth does
not fulfill The expectations of the rich, Office
does not exempt from care and vexation
beauty is more fattored than loved; and in
short, the general level is more sccorIant to
nature, and therefore most likely to be hap
Ply. Give me them" the wise man says, ito
live calm life, away from disputes and rival
ries, in the enjoyment Of the works of God,
where | may feel myself growing in seli.con-
troll and soll-rospecr, and more anxious how