The Arkansas banner., 1849-01-16
rHE ATMosPrrnnIEII.. E

We must now try Co conceive of the afnsesDhars es and to rralize clearly the idea of It's unity
 And what whole--wi iHta uaity Itiss Isoosssssss properties go wonderful and so dasisnlIas that we are stew to believe that they can exist toRsser It rises above us with Its cathedral dome. archlng towards that heaven of which t Is the most fanar synony,ne aud sytnhcl n floats around us Ike met grand object which the apostie John saw Ia hIs visloa--,. sea of glass, ike naio crys,ai'' So massive ia H. that when Ii begins to stir. fl te.ses about great ships Ike play things, and sweeps cities and forests. like snowAfakes to destrcctots bpfs,rn tt And yet u s 30 mobile. that we have lived years n It bsiorc we can be persuaded that t exists at all; ana the great bulk of mankind never realize tbe tfuth thht they are bathed in an ocean of alf
 weight ts % enoFwoas that iron shfvers befOre t like glass; yet soap-bell sails through ii ssith impunity, and the tinlest insect waves II aside h Its wing.
 IL ministers isvishiy 10 ali the senses We touch U not, but it toachrs us. iis warm south winds bring back color to tho pae face of the invalid: ts cool west winds refresh thu fevered brow. and make Inc blood mantle on ourcheeks even It's north blasts brace Into new rigor Inc hardened children Of aur rugged cline. The eyc Is indebied to it for al inc mhgnhcence o@ sunrsa. ths feli brirhiness of nla- -~ clouds that cradle near te settIus sun B,t fav t the rainbow would want ifs triumetai arch. and the winds would not sand their ficecy ruesse. gers on errands round the heavcns The cold ether would not shed it's snewfeafiers on the earth. nor would dio9s of dew gather on the flowers The kindly rain would never fall, nor hail.storn. nor fog diversity the face of ths sky Our naked globe would turn its tanned, unshadowed forehead 10 the sun, and one dreary. monotonous blaze of light and heat dazzle and burn up all things Were there no atmosphere, the evening sun would In Il moment set, ana, without warning. plaRgc the earth in darKness but the air Keeps in her hand sheaf of his rays, and lets them slip but slowly through her fingers; so that the shadows of evening gather by degrees, aud the flowers have lime 10 tow their heads, and each creature space to fud place of rest, and 10 nestle 10 repose. In the mornfng the garish sun woald, at one bound, burst from the bosom of night, and blaze above the horizon; but the air watches for his coming. and sends al first, but one lit:ie ray to announce his approach and then another, and by-and-by handful; and so. gently draws aside the curtains of night and slowly lets the light fall tho face of the sleeping earth till her eyelids open. and, like man, she goeih forth again to her labor till the evening.
 To the ear 1t brings forth all tho souuds frat. putsate through fl. The grave eoquencs of men the sweet songs and happy laughter of women. the prayers and praises which they utter to God; the joyons carols of birds; the hum of insect wings the whisper of the winds when they breathe gently and their laughter and wild choruses when they sbriek in their grath the plashing of the murmur of rivers; the roaring of cataracts; the rnstng Of forests; inc trumpet. note of the thunder and the deep, solemn voce of the everlasting seas Had there been no atmosphere, ,mclody or harmony would not have bcsn, nor any music. Tue earth might have made signs 10 the eye, like one bcrcft of speech, and have muttered from her depths in- aF;ieulnte sounds {; but nature would have been voiecless and We should have gazed only on shore, ss where all was dumb" To the last of the senses the air is not less bonntiful than 10 the others It gathers to itself all perfumes and fragrance; fro'a bcan-feds in flower, and meadows of new mown hay; from hills covered with wild thyme, and gardens of roses The breezes those heavy winged thieves. waft them hiihcv and thither. and the sweet sonth wind "bresthes upon bands of violets, stealing and giving od6r.'