The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-02-02

ieSS "lte' dH' uIdt a'n not certain, Dut
that might have escaped many hours of
serious and painful reflection, had my
training been different; for often amidst
hours Of study. work and recreation, | be.
came exceedingly melancholy.
Being Of an ardent. sanguine tempera.
ment, | had fondly hoped. thar | would
find out something that would always make
one happy. But in this was sadly dis.
appointed; for the more read, saw, or
heard, the more miserable became. |
discovered that the fish that had afforded
me so much amusement, were not only the
victims of the willy fisherman. but not un.
frequently were seen floating lifeless on the
same streams. where a few hours before
they had given such demonstrations OF en-.
joymen,, by their sportings and glidings in
the water The birds, too, whose untaught
lays had cheered me, often fell dead at my
feet. But worse than all this! the ruthless
monster entered the dwellings of my near.
est. dearest friends and took off, not the
aged and decrepit only. but the young, the
beautiful. the gay Of heart. And the
thought would come up most thriIlingly
that !. too. must feel the paralizing hand of
death, and have all my corporeal powers.
at least prostrated in the dust. What rem.
dered it so horrible was this; had dscov.
cred that when my body was entirely mo.
tionless, or wrapt in sleep, the very EN-.
bem Of death. that still had some prin-
ciple within like the vibrations Of pendu.
lum which kept OH and on. This troubled
me much. lest restless dreams would effect
this thinking seepless principle after the
mortal casket was reposing in the tomb,
| began to pay attention 10 tho actions and
vibrations Of this pendulum. and ound out
most effsctually that it was mighty wan.
derer flying swiler than the winds. rushing
with more impetuous speed than thunder
through the sky. outstripping the lightning
in the vault Of heaven. For it not only
wandered over the whole Western cont.
nent. taking an instantaneous view OF its
mighty rivers. its wide spread lakes. its
laundering cataracts, its fertile prairies, its
lofty mountains. its washed shores.
with its white. red and black inhabit.
ants; but in another instant all Europe
was spread out before it, as map-its
vast edifces for arts. science and literature;
its magnificent buildings for the rich. its
wretched novels for the poor; its lofty cath.
edrals. its noble structures, devoted to re.
lgion; its vast navies,its thrones and
monarchs. its nobility and its beggars. were
all wildly before the minds eye. But in
the instant following, it had fed with al.
most infinite rap''i'y to Asia, to view this
land of ancient grandeur and classic lore,
with its diversity of kings and kingdoms.
and its imperial city with its barred gates.
Its numerous seas and sea.gir lies. with
its millions OF pagans and Mahomedans.
was before the imagination. But o, it
would not lnger here to look upon this
theater of human ambition, aggraniize.
ment, and degradation. Of buried cities
and living tyrants; but fed with the veloci-
ty that no MATHEMATICIAN could compute.
In another instant Africa with its flow.
ing Nile, its demolished Carthage, its tow.
ering pyramids, its barren deserts. its
burning climate, its golden sands, its ivory
shores, with its sable inhabitants-the VIC
inns Of cruelty, degradation and ruin
were up in full view in the mental horizon.
was thoroughly convinced that prin.
;iple, that could thus grasp mighty en-
pires in an instant and travel over all
created space in Il moment. triumphing
over weakness, sleep and prostralon of
bodily powers, must doubtless be indies.
ruciible and Of course eternal, But then
what was TO do? was poor young
creature, that feared to open my mind to |
any one, conscious. too. OF great weak.
ness and ignorance; with passions easily
gnited when any real or supposed indig-
nifty was offered--with intense desires,
hat the whole universe could not satisfy
with dread Of the unknown future, that
% but glance at, was wild confusion and
lorror extreme. How could be recon.
,ied to go. knew not where. and spend |
an eternity | knew not hoao! But here
must stop for the talents OF Demoslhenes,
could not adequately describe my suffer-
ngs. my almost utter dispair for years.
Sufficient TO say that envied the most
poisonous reptiles, the most hideous mon-
'ters Of the desert that were incapable of
'easoning thus frequently opened the
volume that was read daily by
ny parents; but as often turned from it
With disgust. found it condemned my
houghts, words and actions. felt that
its teachings were true. was utterly at
'ariance with them
then felt, O! desperate feeling! as if
could dethrone Omnipotence itself, for
'lacing me here under such circumstances.
was naturally very unbelieving--wanted
demonstrated to my outward
enses; and as this was spiritual reli-
ion that the old Book taught, it is no
vonder that | turned from il with abhor.
nee. But still this pendulum something
ept vibrating cast my eyes over the
pagan world. found them all given TO
he meanest idolatry--worshiping not only
l.