Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-02-23
NJ is C d l. l. A N Y.
r a S S E L a. S .
BY I. u. CHANDLER.

There are very few works of equal size the pc
| rusal OF which have afforded me more satisfaction
than Johnsons elegant and deeply impressive sto-
| ry of Rasselas. In the most beautiful and attrac
tive manner, through the medium of faullless inn
! agery, 1t brings before the mind the folly of our
endless search for unchanging joy among the vics-
ltudes OF life which is ever heir to ''vanity and
veXatlon OF spirit" Could it be fully appreciated
It's genius would prove antidote for that sickness
Oh the mind that leads TO constant and useless re-
pnlng at our lot. One would think while reading
It's brilliant description of the shappy valley :"
with It's green mountain walls, over which no enc
mics might cllnb-lts softly murmurng riyuets
Its toamlng torrenis-its fairy lake, and magni-
hcent palace, in which every desire, as if by en-
chantIhent, was gratfied, and where toll and anx-
Ious care might be banshed in the midst of cho-
sen circle OF beautiful ones, where want was I'M
known, that in such place might at least be
contented. But 1t was not with the Prince
Rasseas. Although favorite whom all sought
to please, yet he was not satisfied his slumbers by
night were disturbed by restless dreams, and by
day sadness sat upon his brow. And when asked
by one OF the sages of the 'happy valley" what
was the cause of his disquiet, he replied THAT
want nothing is the cause of my complaint long
TO see the mlseries of the world" This NAV an
pear to be strange desire, yet ii is not too stranpe
for discomfort TO feel
| His wishes were gratified, and he was permit
ted to go forth TO mingle with the stormy worl l..
lie tasted It's bitter cup, and turned from it in dis
gust, and hurried back with eager haste to the vale
he had left behind.
10 those who were not inhabitants Of that Chap
! Ply vale" 1t was the place above every other to
/ be desired. When weary with the painful toll of
day, the Abyssinian lay down to rest, in his
thoughts he fastened away to that happy place,
and In his dreams II was paradise to him But
beautiful and lovely rs it was, it far from be-
Ing paradise, if ii was once fixed as their perma-
nent abode, If they were ever fortunate as to be
permitted to enter there. For, says the sage Imla
speaking to his Prince, 81 know not one of all your
attendants, who does not lament the hour when he
entered here" This is the disposition that bears
rule the wide world over, and is the source of
more dIsqulet than all things besides. We would
ialE change places with some one who in fact is
not less dissatisfied than ourselves The great diff
flculty Is, we Judge too much from appearances
we do not, can not see the burden on the heart
Many an one, whose happiness we envy should
they give utterance to their real feelings. would
say, like Rasseas, 81 am merry to conceal my
Sadness"
.aAs beam Ger the face of the waters may glow,
w hiie the tide runs In darkness and GOODNESS below,
90 .ne cheek may be tingd with warm sunny smile,
hough the cold heart TO ruin runs darky the while"
The daily experience Of every one bears testi-
mony to the truthfuiness OF this-mortals are not
| always what they seem. 1t is believed that we
could change places with but few if any, without
looking back with sadness to the place we had left
behind. Every thing connected with the situation
OF another may seem more desirable and free from
the circumstances that give us pain, than our own.
But we are not constituted alike, and where others
appear to enjoy themselves we might be far from
being happy. Rasselas travelled into foreign lands,
and carefully examined into the situation of every
class OF men, resolved to choose his place among
that class, whether high or low, who were nlost
happy lie sought long and diligently, and at last
was content to go back to his early home, for he
found sadness and sorrow alike in the hut OF the
shepherd and in the palace of kings. He found
that the Iowly trembled, afraid Of those who had
power-and the powerful ever in disquiet,
fearing that they should be brought low. The
poor envied the wealth OF the rich, and the rich
the quiet of the poor-both being alike unhappy.
lie heard some speak of a hermit, man who in
wild seclusion had dwelt for many years, far off
from other men, alone, and he visited him in his
lonely cavern. And as he looked upon him there,
| apparently free from the envy Of poverty and the
anxiety oil wealth, nc almost resolved that he too
| would be hermit. But when he was about 70
congratulate the old man-the dweller Of the wood,
on the beauty and quiet of his forest home he in
terrupted him saying, "When first came to this
place, its quiet aud novelty made it attractive to
one weary Of the turmoil Of llfe-but its novelty is
gone, and tomorrow shall leave this place.
The hermit was not happy. And the experience
Of the world since time began doth testify that no
situation in life is free from sorrow And we sad
ly deceive ourselves if we expect by fleeing 10 es-
cape it, or by any change Of circumstance to avoid
1t; and if after examining our situation we find
that it is not 80 bad as it might be, let us not be
IN haste TO add 10 our sorrows the blight Of dsoou,
tent.