Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-10-20
For the Register.
ENVY.

ever in the same pace l"-srERNE.
The fall of that angel who, in heaven,
" Clothed with transcendent brightness,
didst Outshine myriads. though bright"
is represented by Milton, as having oc-
CURED from envy against the Son of God
1t was natural to attribute this malevo-
lence to the evil one we expect no better
from the great enemy. But the reflection
is not pleasant one, that all who have
attempted to delineate human natare,
have been compelled to give envy place
in tkeir catalogue of its sins. History,
among its scenes, has none more sure to
make the misanthrope present eternally
the port-cullis to his symPathies, than the
mighty evil enactments of this small de-
mon. Wherever we are permitted to
look behind the curtain of events. we find
this little Belzebub OF the heart having a
prominent seat. To select particular ex-
amples. would be an endless task. From
the beginning of the world, when the Sec
Ond Nan murdered his brother, because
that gentle brother found most favor in
the Creators sight, down to the more
merciless and more cowardly blows which
= fellow being aims at him who otfeuds
in this age of the human race, by being
in some way too fortunate, too superior.
too happy-even, perhaps, from having
too Ii lie cause of offence found in him
every place is under the wand of the hid
eous magician.
Envy is passion; modified, colored,
developed by the idiocracy of individuals
and the force of accidental circumstances.
1t leads It's victims into processes of
thought, and modes of action, as unintel-
ligible in description as the witches chant
lair is foul, and foul is fair"
There is no imaginable situation in life.
where its existence is impossible. What
ever is most desired, is most envied in
the possession of another. One Of little or
depraved taste viii envy that which is in
reality not valuable. A great intellect or
perfect taste, with perverseness of mo-
raj feeling as horrible as it is disgusting.
sees honor but to seek its degradation;
beau Y, its defacemeut; purity, its detle-
ment; prosperity it's reversion.
We hope We are incapable of the unjust
and cruel denunciation, of constituting ev-
cry repiuing which arises to the candid
lips into envy. Lamartine has said that
it is less envy than justice" which occa-
sionally revolEs in a superior person; and
we all know we'll that every heart has re-
fnings-carries its own dead hopes, has
buried its own desires. Surely spirit
which arises faint from its tolls, pale from
its wounds, may be allowed 20 cry to hea-
ven the eloquent prayer of Esau: "Bless
me, even me, also, o my Father" with
out being suspected to harbor an unTor-
thy feeling.
Very different from this are the emo
tions which stir the bosoms of those who
hate with the demoniac hate of envy
We have heard the monster openly ac-
knowledged. Some persons willfully
adopt envv-the I" La Mort" ofthe hearts 8
uprightness. In these cases we may ex-
pect to see examples of unmitigated de-
pravity. Conscience masquerading, JUS
tice asleep, humanity chained, it is not
surprising that truth capitulates, and
leaves the human being in no wise better
except in shape, than the reptile. Thu
riel found whispering sin inducing suspi-
sion into the heart of sleeping Eve in Par
adise. Only consider what a combina-
ton must exist in the person, who. in
view of one he envies. with senses alive,
sentiments active in unlimited admiration,
with Judgment all approval, can yet base
", falsely, use the stiletto of SANDER, the
neAVy arm Vi U OppIesSLOu' IH0 POISOh hi'Ss
of ridicule, the thug lssso of misrepresen
tation Over what q height, over what
a depth, length and breadth, the wings OF
the evil spirit soar in such heartfelt
not the unfortunate trust there for succor,
let not the deep of any generous soul give
there its voice for kindred deep No
safety is under the arm of such an one.
save the security of insignifcance. of
crime, of ruin, of misery-humility itself
must not be that of Ciucinnatus, poverty
must not be that of Fabrieus No man
who can cherish the 6end- spirit of envy is
capable of being good dcitizen-certainly
he cannot be = conscientious christian
He is unfit to be the father or head of a
family. He is to all his fellow beings
that most odious of all creatures which
bear the human shape-a traitor. His
best feelings must be but evanescent i'm
pulses, for though he feel compassion
for wrong or misfortune, his arm has no
sooner uplifted name, or rescued life
hope, than his soul in view of the benefits
he has conferred, revolts, and his assassin
hand stabs again!
1t is strange that any should give
themselves in any degree to a passion uni
Versally despised, when an action, a
word, colored by any of the magnanim-
GUS emotions, never fails to be doubly re-
warded by respect and by applause
Springing from an inordinate self-loye,