Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-23
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Night Thoughts upon Autumn.

Autumn to me, is the most delightful sea-
son of the year. may, perhaps, be some
what singular in preferringi to poetic Spring:
but in my view it presents subjects for noe
try of more sublime nature. We indeed as
sociate Spring with all that IS beautiful.
young and lovely and as it yearly returns
to gladden. our eyes, and rejoice our hearts,
we for the time feel as though the DAYS of our
early youth were renewed. That elasticity
of spirit, and those bright cheering hopes for
the future, which characterize that period of
life, seem to return once more at this lovely
season as we gaze upon the bright azure
above, and the fresh young green Of Natures
livery around. Alas for those in whose
hearts, chilled by misfortune, sorrow or misan-
tbropy, perpetual Winter reigns and Spripg
brings with it nothing to cheer the heart or
elevate the love.
But though images of the beautiful float
before the fancy, and zephyrs bend the ideal
wings in Spring; Summers fervid heat soon
brings US down from our airy flight, AMI
Autumn opens upon US with pleasing charms.
1t brings with it indeed, feelings more sober
and subdued than those produced by theopen-
ing year; but yet there is something exhilar-
ating in the contemplation of Nature in her
grave and more matured beauty and as the
season advances with all its varying charms,
1t excites that emotion Of melancholy which
is naturally produced in the meditative mind
by the Frightening, but declining beauties Of
nature and which is so favorable TO the sub
lime in thought and feeling. There is a
sweet repOse about Autumn suited to medita-
ton and as in maturer years we look back
upon the days of our early youth, and con-
trast the reality and the cares of the present
with the airy visions of the morning of life,
we see how many bright hopes have faded,
hon l., e.
blasted; how many desires and schemes have
been frustrated, without the attainment of
which we once thought the world and life it.
self would have no charms.
But when we have passed on we have
CLEANED many things from the rugged path
of life which, although the anticipation of
life had no place in our early dreams, yet
have cOlored the present with beauty of
their own.
So does Autumn appear to US, divested in
deed of all the charms of Spring, but new at
tired in its own native loveliness, with a gor-
geous livery peculiar to itself How striking
ly are we reminded of our mortality, in the
emblematic varying hues Of nature in tho
fading and fallen leaf How sweetly, and
yet how sadly, do the voices Of the wind, like
some almost forgotten strain of music, strike
upon the soul, waking the memories of Joys
long past bringing before US forms of the
beloved dead, with the light of eyes now
quenched, which once shone brightly upon
US, and voices which once thrilled the loving
heart.
There is sublimhy in the whistling and
roaring of the wind, which inyoluntarily
leads the thoughts to the contemplation of the
Allwise Author of Nature. How gloriouslY
manifest is the majesty of God in His works.
Sgfntff brilliant is the Autumn of our own
what can presen1 nas = been much admired, and
ance than our groves and forests at this sea-
son, decked in the choicest and gayeSt robes
of Nature. The most skillful artist could
never blend and lay in canvass such colors
as she then puts on; every tree, bush and
every leaf clothed in n different hue, from
| dark green and brown to the lightest shade
of red and yellow and then with all this
transcendant beauty Of earth, the sky, too,
contributes to render all nature perfectly en-
J chanting. What, indeed, can be more beau.
tiful than clear autumnal sunset, as the
I glorious orb of day gradually sinks behind
the distant hills, tipping the highest trees
with its golden hue, and edging the cloud
! with every variety of color, rs each disap
pears, leaving the whole western horizon one
unclouded blaze of golden light.
We can almost imagine that we have
glimpse of the glories Of the eternal world
There is something sad and mournful in thu
thought that when Nature appears in hel
most enchanting beauty, it is only just befor,
her most frightful decay. There is some
thing in the idea of the falling leaf which
seems to say, how transitory arc all earthly
things, and how vain are all our earthly
hopes which although they smooth the thor
ny path Of life, will be found at the close T.
! have been nothing more than painted dream
. Therefore how appropriate seems the ad
monition of the Poet:
90 On the tree Of life eternal
Man let all thy hopes be stad
Which alone forever Vernal,
Bears leaf that shall not fade"
ii. b. JAMES.