The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1852-01-02
THE NEW YEAR.


We are pleased to greet our patrons and
friends, and once more offer our congra'u
la,ions upon the opening scenes OF the ne"
year. We are upon the midway point,
and if truly philosophical, we will looi
with equal eye upon the past and future
both equally transient, and alike calcu'
lated 10 teach US the evanesence oil ou'
own existence. We have measured away
another year! Abstraciiy the.years are al
alike, filing an equal space in the round o.
centuries; but TO US how WARRANTY Were
il no, for oft recoun,iog his sport, the boy
would almost forget that he ever enjoyed
a bolday--he thinks the year IS destined
TO last forever. The aged patriarch regards
long life as a calamity, and only shrnk'
from death, The current Of years sweeps
rapidly BY him, his eye grows dizzy, he
totters restessly upon the brink, because
the opposite shore is invisible. He won
ders why he does not welcome death. he
asks
"Who would bear the whips and scorns Of
time.
The oppressor's wrong, the proud mans
conumoly,
The ranes of despised love. The laws delay
The insolence o. office, and the spurns
That patient merit OF the unworthy takes!
His strength is gone, bis mind is crazed
his heart is sick-time and life recede, and
he anxrously waits for the irrevocable step
that will end his walk among The living.
Neither The childhood OF Youth nor Of
age is qualified 10 pass correct sentence
upon the A eht of time or judge OF IFS Ie-
etima,e effects upon the affairs OF men,
They who are IN the prime o! lie, working
out their own fortunes, urging on the car
of civilization. making history they alone
are able TO see things past and present, as
they are. We should study the history OF
former years, not with an over-reverentIal
regard, but with The sole view OF correctly
understanding the emergencies and expedj-
ents OF our ancestors. They lived in one
age of the world and we in another. They
probably filed their mission well; but ours
is different task, for which they would
not be half as we'll qualified as ourselves
King Lear exclaimed. You do me
wrong, TO take me out O. the gravel" He
felt himself superannuatsd, almost the foil
five acts of his drama had passed, and the
mortal catastrophe was just impending
New scenes were opening up. new actors
were upon the stage, new objects wero IN
view. and he realized that he belonged 10
another generation We would not disre-
gard the light OF other days; bot all thoughts
tul men pay strict attention to the light oil
our own. Out of our number the heroes OF
this age are to come; Of us and ours the
future historian must write. Let US live
and act wisely and well, so thar our page
may be bright and our names shine among
the glorious few whose renown has been
secured by meeting the obligations of hu-
mainly and religion. Let us spurn the
grade Of those who lament that they can
not devote more time TO eating than work.
ing; and, having hearts full of God-aspir'
ing zeal. take rank among those who are
confidently in possession Of the talisman OF
ultimate success. 1t is untrue that " man
was made to mourn" He is sky born, and
his destiny lies IN the same direction
Thithcr ward he is beckoned by his great
Creator, and urged by the noblest impulses
Of his nature; but If he shall wickedly and
basely Sc, his heart upon grass and eroyel'
ling objects, he will shortly learn that he
has little else 10 do bu, mourn. And II is
but jusi-ss the tree fa!leth, so 1t must
lie.