Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-08-09
Tuesday dug. 7

/ IpWe in,imateJ, in our leader of yes
tcrday, that he who was learned in The wis
dom of books possessed much valuable inior.
nation, whi;h would be of service to him in
The varied walks of life but, after all, there is
knowledge, practical knowledge, that pas
seth all this, ,and which bnt few, comparatively
! speaking, possess. We mean that knowledge
Of men and things, that power to read the
characters of men, which, of all Others Is the
! greatest earthly treasure, and the most ines
timab'e acquisition. He whose penetrating
eye can invade The very sancti,y of the SOU
and read its hidden and deep-chershed mys-
series, possesses a vastly more potent key
than he who can comprehend the literature
and the lore Of all the nations OF the earth,
ancient as well as modern. 1t is fearful
gift, and should be used with the utmost dis
creton, for b. it, we may learn what the hu
man tongue refus's to impart to the dearest
Of friends we do not speak Of any ridiculous
mesmcric power, if there is any such thing
hut we simply mean the ability to penetrate
character so closely that by the aid of what is
indirectly said, and partial illusions, we can
at once iaihom the burlhen Of the hearts deep
'ongings, or the minds hallowed secrets. 1t
can be done, and ii as done, by some, every
day. When you Sthold a man who s thus
blessed, mark his eye, and how he uses it =
There is seated there more even than the va
riegated wonders Of the kaleidoscope its
flashing glance, is steady, terribly penetrating
gaze, its da,k heavy lustre its withering black
ness,-all these constantly changing hues,
within the space of a few seconds, reveal the
workings of the soul, The mental action that
is noiseless as the gliding of a spirit, bu,
sure as the convictions of conscience The
man may be in the midst of gayeiy and mirh,
the quiet occupant Of retired corner unno-
,iced even by ali present, aye, and pronoun
ced dreadfully stupid oh, there is con |
ccntra,ed in him a mysterious power which
he gay dcvotees OF the world little dream of |
and which, if they could comprehend, they
would instinctively shrink from, with a holy |
HORROR who wants the secrets of his |
heart invaded when he dare not mpart them
to his most valued frend' Thousands will
pronounce this mere ebulItion of fancy, the |
dream of poetic imag g'na,ion let them con-
sole themselves with the delusion, for it may
afford them quietude. But we kuo,o better
We have seen such hearts read such secrets
fathomed, aud the confession has been made.
with fearful eyes and the earnest en,reaty 1
Uttered 70 know hour it was done. The pos
ses'or of such faculties knows no, this him
self he has the power, but he knows not
no." lie operates. Actions speak but little,
and words are o. less value, bJth taken by
but these, viii. thousand Mh
things, and the revelations which the eye, the
window Of the soul, m kcs, and which are
net noticed by hardly one in million, all go
10 make up the character, and the internal as
well as the external life Of man. \
lie who possesses this iadescribable facul- i
ty can find most ample opportunity for its ex- I
prcse, al this time, in the gay Saloons of
Newport. 10 look in upon these, the unin-
ltia'ed would suppose u at no cloud had ever
iarkened sing lie brow, and no anguish had
wrung hearts apparently so happy. Smiles
'lay upon each face, and joy rings from each
augh eyes flash meteor gances po'ent as
the lightning glare, and bewnching looks
'rc exchanged with the veil city Of telegraph
C dispatches. Blu, yet, amid all this, we
ave often detected the almost inaudble sigh Il
he sinking of the soul as momcn,arily ex-
PRESSED in the eye, speaking volumes of un-
written ,ruth;-and then the sud len r,ac,ionli
nd consequent return of all the glow and fer.
'or 'fhaPpiness.
We cannot continue this subject TO the ex.
cnt We should like, for want of room butt
We have said enough for general purposes,
nd perhaps our suggestions Tay cause some
D te,t the accuracy of the reasonny, and a
ew may learn that although much is to be
leaned from books,-still, more vastly more
to be obtained from that yet untransla,ed
olume, the hundn hearE iIC