The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1853-06-02
The Vanity of Pride.
BY THE MILFORD BARD.

| Why all this toll for triumphs of an hour7
! w hat though we wade in wealth. or soar in fame
Earth's highest station ends in, "here he lies :
And dust to dust" concludes her noblest song
DR.. YoUNG
Pride may be considered one of the
strongest passions of emotions of the
human mind; but we more frequently
see i united with ignorance than with
sense. There is position of vanity
and pride necessary to the preservation
OF the human character; but when il
is carrled'o an extent beyond that me
dlum, 1t becomes disgusting in the
sight of modesty and humility, and
never fails to render the professor con.
temptible in the eyes of the chaste and
interrupted. Adversely is necessary tc
the state of man, to prevent that redun,
dance OF pompous independence and 10
reduce that plethora of the soul by
which he forgets the true source from
whence his blessings flow. Prosperity
continued, soon wraps him up in his
own conscious greatness, and disdains
the humble avocation of Offering M
thanks 10 that Being who has strewed
his path with plentiful abundance. and
given him the means by which he may
be happy.
What is man2 Is he being of ce-
lestial origin, and are the destinies of
time and eternity in his own hands ?
Did he command creation to be framed
from nothing, and did he say. Let
there be light" which was immediate
ly obeyed? Did he snatch that flaming
sphere, the sun, from the dark caverns
Of chaos: and hurl ii, with ponderous
arm, 10 be fixed for ages in the vast
wilderness Of the universe | say, did
he bid order and regularity pervade the
immensely Of space; and did he form
those lmmutable laws which every.
where exist throughout the vast pro-
found Of natures arcana? No. he did
not. So far from having the sceptre of
command in his hands, he was formed
after the great fabric of the universe
was framed. He has but one circums-
lance connected with his formation of
which he may boast, which is that he
was made in the image OF his great Ar
chiiect, the Sovereign of the Universe.
Man is but worm. He is superior TO
the different orders and generations
which surround him in point of intellect
but like them he falls by the winter of
age, by casulties, by disease, and bv
many other frailties incident to animal
matter. He is seen no more upon the
face of the earth. Scarcely has he
upon the tempestuouS waves
Of time, before the current turns from
the course which he was pursuing, and
finally leads him, with all his boasted
greatness, on the unknown shore of an
awful eternity. From the moment he
makes his entrance on the stage of ac-
lion, he is gradually undergoing the
process of decay, and hastening along,
without perceiving his rapidily, to
inal dissolution. The particles of mat
er, or the atomic portions Of animal
natter, are continually changing, and
he same flesh which covers his bones
o-day will, in the course of few years.
De entirely carried away by the asto-
lishing process of nature, and be i'm |
,erceptibly replaced by new forma-
ion. Thus, he is ever changing, until |
he final scene of lite is closed, when
le is given up prey to the insects of |
he earth, and there to be transformed,
md his senblance lost in the cIods Of |
he valley. How humiliating the |
hought! Shall man then presume to
,e proud ofthat body which is destined
o be food of loathsome worms ? Surely |
lot He is but a traveller on this terra
Iueons ball, and already are the shades
t evening beginning 10 gather around
i'm, and the dark mantle of night will
Envelope the torch of day, upon which
e is delighted to gaze. tits the night
I death! Soon will be cease TO be,
old the dazzling forms of youth dance
n festivity around him, and soon will
e cease 10 hear the sweet melody of
music, or the song of the warbler in the
olitary grove. Scenes which delight,
nd scenes which inspire, will be shut
,ut from his vision forever.
Nor is it hoary age alone which is
oomed to this melancholy catastrophe.
he tender flower of youth is often cut
own by the keen-edged scythe of time
nd laid in the cold arms of DEATH
10 age, sex or condition are exempt,
ut all alike are leYelled in the dust.
'et US approach yon wide repository of
ne dead, and seek there for distinction.
here is the tomb of the ambitious
ian, whose aspiring soul once plum
ed a nation in wo, and whose name is
'riiten in human blood upon the tablet
remembrance, handed down to pos
gritty! But behold, here lies his own
Significance. Here is the proud man.
Tho considered himself superior TO his
,llow mortals, and looked down with
egradiug contempt upon those who
onsidered themselves equal BY the
es Of nature. What is presented now