The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-10-24
Wl&ceIga1gecW8,

WtScelGaateoua.
The poet Campbell, soon after the
birth of his first child, wrote as follows
to near friend! The passage teens
with all the tender fervur Of q mothers
heart:
Our first interview was when he lay
in his little crib in the nidst Of white
muslin and dainty lace, prepared by
NIatilda's hands. long before the stran-
gers arrival. l verify believe that q
lovclier babe was never smiled upon by
the light Of Heaven. He was breath
ing swectly in his first sleep; I burst not
awaken him, but vcnturcd one kiss.
He gave faint murmur, and opened
his azure lights. Since that time he
has continued to grow in grace and in
stature. can take him in my arms but
still his good nature and his beauty are
but provocatives to the affection which
one must not indulge; he cannot bear
to be hugged, he cannot yet stand q
worrying. Oh! that l we're sure he
would live to the day when | could take
him on my knee, and feel the strong
plumpness of childhood waxing into vi.
gorous youth. My poor boy! shall 1
have the ectsacy CT teaching him
thoughts and knowledge, and recipro-
city Of love to me? 1t is bcld to ven.
ture into futurity so far? At present
his lovely little face is comfort to me;
his lips breathe that fragrance which is
one Of the loyeliest kindnesses of nature
that she has given to infants; a sweet
ness of smell more delightful than all
the treasures of Arabia. What ndora-
bic beauties of God and naturc's bounty
we live in without knowing! How few
have ever seemed to think an infant
beautiful! But to me there seems to
be beauty in the earliest dawn Of in.
fancy, which is not inferior to the nt.
fractions Of childhood, especially when
they sleep. Their looks excite a more
tender train of emotions. It Is like the
trcmulous anxiety we feel for a candle
newly lighted which we dread going
| out.
CHILDREN OF THE PooR.---Poor pco-
pie, said a sensible old nurse to us
once, do not bring up their children;
they drag them up. No one has time
to dandlc the darling, no one thinks it
worth while to coax it, to soothe it, to
toss it up and down, to humor it.
There is mono to kiss ayits tears. 1t
grew up without the lullaby of nurses,
it was stranger to the fondle patient,
the hushing caress, the attracting nov
city, the costlicr plaything, or the cheap
er ofhand contrivance to divert the
child, tho p ratified nonsense, Chest
sense to it, the wise impertinences,
the wholesome lies, the apt story inter
posed, that puts stop to present suf:
erings, and awakens the passions of
young wonder.- Charles Lamb.
SOBER Lastly, if length Of
days be thy portion, make it not thy
expectation. Reckon not long upon
life, but live always beyond thy &C.
count. He that so often surviyeth his
expectation, Eveth many lives, and will
hardly complain of the shortness of his
days..--Iime past is gone like shadow;
make time to come present; conceive
that near which may be far off; approx.
mate thy last times by present appre.
tensions of them; live like neighbor
unto death, and think there is but little
to come. And since there is something
in us that must still live on, join both
lives together; unite them in thy
thoughts ard actions, and live in one
but for tho other. ---Hc who thus order.
eth the purposes of this life, will never
be far from the next, and is, in some
manner already in it, by q happy con
formity and close apprehension Of it.
Sir Thomas Browne.
DEATH.---Thc body is q more expert
dialcctician than the soul, and buffcts it,
even to bowilderment, with the empty
bladdcrs of logic; but the soul can re-
tire from the dust and turmoil of such
conflict, to the high tower Of instructive
faith, and there, in husband serenity,
take comfort of the sympathizing stars.