The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-03-28
For the Ga5ette. |
A WALK AMONG THE TOMBS.

A walk among the still and dreary tombs, those
gloomy mcmentoes of the departed dead, is not only
calculated to inspire feelings of the most sacred char
acter, but also to wake the profound eloquent
and refined sensibilties, slumbcring in the human
heart. Every thing hushed in the stiffness Of death,
gloom pervadcs all around-the very air breaths
impulse Of holier feeling, and the heart here relaxes
its affection for the things Of earth, and receives the
all-pcrvadng serenity.
The idea OF being in the abode of death within the
dark empire of his stilly dominion, connected with
thousand incidental images fitting before the mind
tis here, IL earth, feel susceptible to natures
cep iana.c montions Of our pershablcress, which
wan Of the fatal 4uicksand of trusting and wor
Shipping destructible earth, and irresisby draw
thoughts to OF our being and final disposition
AS PASS from dead to dead, the heart forgets not
its tribute while eyes pass heavily over the chs
eed NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. moistenng the sacred
pile that heaves above the remains of aectionate
fahs or mother whose lips received the cold impress
OF eeath, while their lsping invocations to Heaven
we're imploring blessings upon their children-or in
mournful grief we are bending over the grave of a
brother or sister, whose unwavering love and untiring
wa,chfulncss over sick pillow, may have admins
tered to us health, and who may have fallen martyr
to afection-or in stupid silence we stand ntently
gazing upon the cpi,aph of dear Of our love
or childhood whose smiles set, whose Joy is gone
Memory busy recalling to recollection, fond Incl
dents connected with the lives of those which
we are now treading--and so mastery does she AVA
ken and introduce them, that they appear as living
characters before U.S. and the soul ances the entrea
ties Of its kindred spirits, whispering,
sssister spirit, come awayr'
The powers othe mind are indeed too feeble to PEN
etrate the silent vacuum beyond the gravetoo con-
to explore the mpenetrable regions of futuri
ty too limited scrutnise its deep mysteries-too
opaaue to Hume its heavy dsrknesstoo profane to
inhabit its abode. Sensible OF its weakness in sur
vey of infnty, the mind sinks in its efforts to antic-
pate time and the grave and yields to be the domin-
ion of Hin, only, who
ssRides in the whirlwind and directs the storm,'
with this deep hidden mystery before US, one suppos-
cd 10 involve the most vital nd tremendous conse-
quenees connected with well-being, am induced
% indulge in few reflections, which have irressti'
bly, overpowered all the hypothesis an eager imagina-
ticn could conjure, and every effort she could make
for the protection Of her darling theory.
To aee or avoid danger, the animal economy, in.
stnct. There is void Of the feelings of sense,
as to be nsusceptible to this passion This admitted,
will have the skepticism to deny the buried mys-
tcries beyond the confines OF earth, the evity SO to
trAe with the dictates OF seriously to affirm
these mysteries to fearful appre-
tensions. But ifhey are and nature declares it even
on ever SO dim concepions-the eloquence Of man, it
matters not how imprcssively how irresstibly it
address the pass fails of convincing nature that
she errs yho when all arguments have been lavshed
upon her In vain and cease combating her prcrosative
her xedness Of principles and rarely fails
OF finally convincing her antagonists that she seldom
or never errs.
/ The most confirmed and indurated skeptic-unless
The faculty of reason be In him sscraving void"
vacuum, which renders him an unaccountahie crea'