The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1851-01-30

old ami alued Correspondent, +. c.
There are many truths expressed in
these "Refer,iona"
For tie nerdid
THE OLD MANS BIRTH DAY
MEDlTATIONS.
Sweet is il TO the soul, as life DECAYS,
To mark the cloudlcss skies OF other days"
II hath been remarked that "Timc is usu-
ally so sly and si!cn, in his operations that he
works great changes within, ard all around
us, without making us aware Of his mys,er-
Gus agency" 1t ,s, however, fortunate, ,ha,
Time at some seasons, ptoclaims his mpor-
lance, and reminds us fhis rapid fight.
This day reminds me that ! have ar
rived at the cightieth anniversary Of my
earthly existence. Yes, eighty years have
swiftly fed, with rapid footsteps DER my
this earth, and H. at times am astonishcd n,
the length Of my existence, and can scarcely
realize that am in the evening of life, and
near the terminus OF my earthly journey, to
Inc serious and evoniiul period Those
years that are past and gone, now exist on
the tablet cf memory in all their extension
and in perspective the past stretches out
backward to the commencement Of active
life, which has been a checkcred scene--a
book in which we may every day read page
1t is with II kind of melancholy, that com.
pare the calm contentcd progress Of Youth
with the stormy, affective advances of sue.
ceedng years
To trace the origin Of error, to view the
birth of misfortune, to liit the veil Of cover.
ed griefs, must be oppressive to tie sensitive
heart. To see whatwe have been, taking q
transient view Of actions, feelings, and opin
ions, from our earliest years, opens wide
field for reflection and thought. During a
pilgrimage Of fourscore years, have expe
! renced spots of sunshine and delight. that
seemed to come Aiyet.ly from heaven, ADD
have observed those eni"yments usually
come after some peculiarly som5re hours OF
Of detected spirit.
"This world is not as some define,
The Eden it appears,
! Tho brightly all its pleasures shine,
lis but vale Of tears"
There is something cheering to the obser
wing mind, in contemplating the wonderful
/ improvements Of the present day, in con
trast with lille more than halfa century, %
during one short life can we'll remembe
when there were but three newspapers of an,
description printed in the United States =
The wonderful improvement in science, ant
in mechanical labor the facilities in travel
ing and the transmission of written commu
ncations, were beyond the conception Of
philosopher sixty years ago.
1t is said that we live on retrospection, an
that we were not sensible OF enjoyment unit
1t was gone; we then begin to anal, ze In
pleasure that time has hurried away from Us
and thus retrospection concentrates our pas
pleasures, and brings them back to the mind
and forms the greatest share of temporal hap
piness.
In vain ! now turn for a revered face
|, whose features are now but dllnly recol!cc,
ed for that arm was wont to lean upo
after the tolls of the day; the parental coun
sells that were impaired to my youthful min
the words of solacc in hours Of Athletic
when the bitter troubles of the world Ia
come over the spirit and caused sadness
heart. Thus rctrospection brings moments {
joyous, though Of n sombrous cast, in tim
of mediation, and 4" meet the ghosts or m
departed Jays Is It not strange that eve
IN old age, we are continually sowing fires
hopes, and looking anx,ousy to the future
and so gently does life pass along, we sh'
, our eyes To con, sn.Dkaie life s journey onwar
: through an extended plain of uninterrup,c
delight, and scarcely believe that we are ole
er for the days that are past. But, howevc
employed, time pursues necessarily his cours
the great messenger Of our days presst
heavily upon US, and whrls our weeks an
. days huEr.edly along, and when the day
past, and we look hack, we are surprised
lis shorlneSs, and excalm " ith the poet,
"Time, what an empty vapor, It's"
To the sensitive and reflective mind, iht
duly realizes that he is walking between tw
worlds, there often comes moments OF exi
tence, IN which the mysteries Of life al
deeply felt, moments which are to lift Il
dark curtain that hides the future from mo
tai VISION Man is no, at all ti.nes sensib
OF the intensity al the life that is ia hia
yet dun unconsc ousneas Of infinite nay
ferrous grandeur pressei upon the mind, az
, our steps are constantly niun,ed by thou yt
especially IN age, still there seems to be q
uuacc0un,ab!e s,upor about tie heart
regard to the nome nfous truths dat 50 dee
ly concerns both olG sad young.
i. Man views an eternity before him as ve
4 ss behind, enfoldlng in mystery, iayfhi
pour" and Infinite ipaes tbs s,upe
= dous sfcn of mystery spread over US, and !
J. voice is found 10 pierce the dark recess.
this rru gle Of life, this momen.ssy day