The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-05-27

"Trip from Fort ana walla TO st. Joseph. where arr
! we'd onfhe flth Of May, worn on, with fatigue
/ The Love Of Lise-nss Uses aud Limis.
The love Of life may be Justly reckoned
one oil the strongest principles in our con-
stitution. 1t operates under every variety
OF circumstances. and with power and en-
ergy peculiarly its own. alt corresponds
Gas has been truly said In the animated
world with the great principles Of gravita-
tation in the material system, or with the
centripetal force by which the planets are
/, retained in their proper orbits, and resist
their opposite tendency to fly of from the
centre. The most wretched-not less than
, the more prosperous--those who seem 10
8 possess nothing that canrender life desirable,
not less than those who are surrounded by
all its pleasuIes--are bound to life as by
I principle OF central attraction, which ex-
tends its influence TO the last moments Of
) expiring nature"
1t is, perhaps, not sufficiently considered
how much we owe 10 this strong constitu-
! tional sentiment. The love OF life. IL is
the wall Of fire that surrounds our earthly
existence. Ii is the sentinel, ever wakeful,
ever at its post. giving notice of the first
. approach Of danger, and summoning all the
5 sister powers TO aid and actiom But for the
: = strength Of the instinct, can we doubt that
the number would be anything but small
! Of those who, not influenced by higher and
e more sacrad considerations, would seek a
! shelter from the calamities Of the present
scene in the grave Of the suicidel Besides,
; the anxiety we feel for the continued health
) and protracled existence OF those whom
Providence has consigned to our care would
be extirpated; for what we feel Of little con-
!. sequence TO ourselves We would cease 10
a wish for in the case Of others. The absence
OF this ardent attachment TO life, or even its
< existence in feeble state, would thus tend
inevitably to impair all our kindly and
: generous sympathies, make affection a mean
y ingless word, and leave the weak and help
q less Of every class without friends and with
d out guardians. Did we, moreover, cease to
!. prize our being as boon of peerless price,
le our great motive OF industrious exertion
= would be destroyed; the sweat Of our bIows
q We would regard as too dear price TO pay
II for our daily bread many of our mobiles
., enterprises would never be undertaken; and
to the. arts and sciences. the main object o
4 which, is to exalt and embellish life, would
ID cease TO be cultivated with care. AND
he then what a scene OF crime and consequen
wretchedness would our world be, if com
N posed chiefly, on rather exclusively, o
he oilers
/. The restraints Of law, too. would be strip
y, ped of more than half their power. Th'
of minds Of men, losing the horror with SAssh
,s' lnshnctively, they recoil at the deed OF III
nd assassin, would regard the invasion OF lii
i IS as crime OF comparatively small moment
ny ny and thus society would be deprived Of on
ar Of its most important safeguards. In sin
o." liar ratio, and from like cause; war, eve
We al present a dire evil. would mcrease-th'
EN ''game which, to employ the words Of III
Sc, gentle Cowper, "were their subjects wis,
ems kings would not play at, would becom
n I the universal pastime. We can, in trutt
led conceive few calamities more dismal tina
nc the extinction, could it be effected, OF ii
em dread with which death is contemplate
he bv the mind Of man. The arrangement
al beautiful and wise, that death should be u
De- liking Of terrors."
nc The love of life, too, has its religio1
EN- uses. Ii furnishes a strong presumption
aud our Immortality. 1t prOclaims the hou'
me with which we recoil from the idea OF am
on hilation. II whispers to US that some pa
= of us is far too good to be consigned to Z
ne dust. 1t is, in fact, the voice Of the soul a
bouncing its own grandeur and indesnuc
Ter Ter bleness.
the Life is dear to US for thousand reason
lies, We cling with intense fondness TO the
una, sna niliar objects around US; they become
'een truth, part OF ourselves, and il costs
a IN heart a violent wrench 10 be torn from the
par par The fair blue heavens-,he royal sun
nms- night. with its twinkling stars-the laI
rexf scape, with its charms---ocean, sleeping
beauty or dashed by tempest-the scenes
nins childhood and youth--the faces around
s, on hearth-t is not poetry, reader, IT is nat
. be that bids US prize the boon OF being:
edsd aFor who, to dull fOrge,fulness prey.
!. N This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,
Uses Left the warm precincts Of the cheerful day,
Nor cast one longing, ling ring look behinds
' But the love Of life has its limits as "
'hEc as its uses. Ii may be vanquished; IT n
be expelled the bosom by higher and m
.rins powerful sentiments. The human fan
Col; were DETAINED when certain authority
'anies clared, ''All that man hath will De 81
d. for his life" "Your master, said the Or
M Carmathian to those who waited on B
, 'sss sis at the head OF thirty thousand sold
1 gone three such men as these are wanting IN
4 pas. host" while, at the same time, accos
three Of his champions, he commanded
y ~si first to plunge dagger into his breast,
wsls. second to leap into the Tigris, and the
assss- to cast himself headlong down Preclp
, ,Doan. His orders were instantly and witho
place murmur obeyed In this and kindred
ae WAS wa. stances we see the love Of life giving
upon to another, we won't say more exs
ryer. sentiment.
II s'S The, Blu, there are other and far higher
s sS and plays Of this mastery. We see It conqu
= often by the thirst for knowledge, es
co. As ,c ally when that is associated with the
appear for distinction. There IS a numerous
clock ri in many respects noble class. who Ell
n party their understanding at the expense, ma
{ o,nsr not say the sacrifice, Of their existe
' Tss There are even intellectual martyrs, as
Z, an en-. ileo was, when sickening in has dun
. sGoo, for main:aining that our globe was no