The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-11-21
For the GALAXY.
" Man is but pendulum between smile and teal"

Man is but pendulum between smile aud tear
| The varied incidents OF life convince us
that no day need be without its line And
what is our lile2 What, this web of circum
stance and fortune. so rhickly woven with
hope and fear, joy and sorrow? To-day
the sun shines and all is happiness; anon,
The scene changes. A dark cloud lowers and
bursts in merciiess fury upvn our defenceless
heads. Flowers of hope and mirIh lie with
ering amid The blight Of ialsehood and
lreachery. The deadly Upas imbued with
fresh bitterness, lifts its presumptuous head
10 deepen the gloom, for il has gathered new
strength from The wreck oil sensibiliiics. and
The gushing flow Of The hearts own life blooG.
Foul scandal grows rank upon its branches,
and Tho fruits ofmalice, envy and jealousy,
hang thick on every bough. And are there
who taste lis lea e, and love The poison Turk
ing there 2 Yes, melancholy truth y il is
The food Of little miD1s. Constitulionally in
capable oil reIishing better regimen, they
expatiatc freely on their chosen viands, and
indulge in searching out weaknesses and
hunting down determines. It's their bust
mss 10 dissect character. Their com2eten-
cy to judge of merit and dement,, their abili-
ty TO appreciate and candidy weigh the ru-
ling motives OF those with whom they are
hest acquainted, they never for moment
doubt
The course o. these worthy 'busy>bod:cs,'
so renowned for industry and tact, is uniform
| y on this wise. Dark hints are confiden-
TALLY whispered to others, who, in their turn,
| mpart The same TO a second round Of friends
and thus, in constantly widening circles, the
affair passes over 10 the public. TO be can
vassed aud disposed of as il seemeth 10 them
good
But does this picture afford no contrast2
Is there no verdure and beauty amid the
parched and dreary pilgrimage OF life! Yes,
surely the day>siar ol'iruih shines on high
ii lriH prerdi1. Some there are with minds
Of lofty bearing, souls of finest texture and
noblest aspirations who are born 10 climb
and not to sink They 60 forth armed with
The panoply of truth, strong in the might Of
heir own rectitudc, aud valiant in the con-
seriousness Of their own integrity. Possess-
ing enlarged and comprehensive views,
whereby they readily discern between good
and evil, they stand forth The champions of
virtue, carrying in their right hand shield
or The Injured and oppressed. The wide
circle Of The sciences, the varied range oil lit
erature, ,he houndlcss world of books, open
before them elevated subjects of converse
ton. and leave them no time for descanting
upon The foibes and frailtics Of their asso-
ciaIes. They seek not to establish their own
merits by whitening whispers Of detraciion.
but build upon the sure foundation of inhe-
rent goodness. ever realizing that common
daiion can add nothing thereto, nor censures
take anything therefrom. In this reflection
hey find pleasure, and are thus enabled with
cheeriulncss &c meet rough winds and an op-
posing tide. Says one Of our finest writer's,
Life has many ls, but the mind that views
every object in its most cheering aspect and
every doubtful dispensation as replete " nh
latent good. bears within itself powerful
and perpetual an'idote.'-The healing balm
for every wound is, indeed, recfitude of pur-
pose. and although life's sunniest hours are
not without their shadows. although spectres
of evil will steal amid its brightest Joys, let
US remember that they are
an mercy given.
To fl the chastenod soul for heaven"
New Haven, Nov. LIST, 1913.