Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-06-23
From the alillcnnisi IIarbengcr. /,
TEE VOYAGE OF LIFE.

TEE VOYAGE OF LIFE.
have often thought, while jouIneying upon the
beautiful Chic, in one OF those majestic steamers
which plyftpon It's waters, lhatlapafallel might,
and the course of human life.
When asstrnngsr, bound for some distant por,
makes hiseltrancslnto yessel. we may readi-
lyfpagine that we see a youth just selting forth
TO engage in the active business OF the word. Up
on the shore, we may perceive in-the friends of
whom lie has just taken leave, the kind parents
and rentiyes who, with Tears and ttmany fond
have committed him to- the uncertain and
changeiul scenes of life Theiys is thsssadeeling
of bereavement but imperfectiy soothed by anxious
hopes; sorro 10 the sternecessi 80
ty which, has suddenly torn asundsr the lies which
years ot1lhtmacyk had intertwifed around tie
lhearl 10 hun, also, belongs heSadness of sepn-
ration, mlHgisu with sense of loneliness, aud Tile
congcie Of iiaYing lost the dearest assoca
,tonsof lies Perhaps. to use the language of
aaother she has been. the beloved of many hearts,;
hsoneS the ohlect OF almost xclusve alecion
How dhiicnitto lie nov cotitehtel with Idss How
cold by comparison, tue afler-interest lie may
awakenin other hearts, anidstth the busting scenes
81 the woEldi How'bard 10 endure the measured
kindness of mere we ters--tle 'cphstraiued
courtesy Of web Tbrel indifference, the uninten-
ttonah slight oil the regardless many! the ieutttnr
lcontumely OF. the. malicious fewlA How Ssitbering
eonarasted former looks of love- aud its en-
qeAring toIleS,3 The severe glance If ceicorlous
eye! the harsh nfeKionaof a. reprpvmg voice-a
How bitter 10 RENE nber all he has BEEN 10 thssbe-
loved cltcle the home Of youth, and to feel that
he rs ,oth.ng comparatively nothing 10 any living
creature IN the ~id ewurld on itch he is about 10
entetl Still, though Depressed Tor time, the
youthipl Sprt IS soon ys4 up by the glitteriug
hopes Which float apon the surface of ie's rest.
less tlte. "A heqself onfdence lofS inexlefehce
aaa lhe pEsds & early vgqr, sustain the slpkng
nsarl, arde M ifss Of bright tjoIning
soon tlnse with brightest hnes tile clouts WHICH
conceal tue distant future. and hastcnfurWafd tlte
Steps which sad tim 70 the fulftmept Of lis des-
ahy. 70 The Youth, indeed, tile world appears all
neautlu as daes the int of the stately vassel
INTO whtohaeeg has inst beenanshered. How elegant
the decorati6H What IBaautIu vista is pre- sent
cd 10 the eye betweeiii9theslong ranges OF state
rooms as we look through the entire length OF the 4
cabiu! q he rich carpets tie crimson iiarietnis:
tie stained WINDOWS; the pleasing conirasto 81 cd.
or, the handsome iurnitdre, and ths scoivenieht
arrangement oil the whole, give To the mind LIVE
~ sense OF beauty, cbeerIuiness and joy. The.
prsmatic iusires,a suspended, from the ceiling,
dazzle the eye as they gently with
treinulons motion, aud throw the sum S last tys,
divided lnto all tile colorsof the rainbow, unstea-
ly yet gracefully, upon the carved and gildsd in
lerlof: as night approaches, the PEN
Edant lamps are lgitedsy and, from the innumera-
Die facets OF their ground Shades dfffusc sllvety
radiance, which is even aereeabe .tHan HE
intense brhliancy of days Fredericksburg
whose it htls force SEEMS 10 be i6Gtegset py i'm,
Venetian lattces and diffuses greatful cooiness.
er, NJ IN the evening hodiss II grah1aiy subsidies
SO as 10 be no longel felt thin, We may tilinp-
onsthe s'guardss% enjoyts freshness, while the
gentle breathlngs of the flute, or the sonptops
NOTES the Kelt buge, tom the hills,
add TO the pleasures we experience, and, pIolo,g.
ed ihto2thestourS ofinight; sootheaus finally 10
rsp9Sss; Aud when the bright morning I9wts, J
how Charming the scenery the 1iyeTs When, on
ones.de, wa hes the p<bbly,shore of alevel allu
vial valley, covered with nch meadows and fields
OF WAVING grain, and, tie other bahes the rocky
base oil hills whose PERCEPTIONS sdesure yetcioll-
ed with ancIehtfoIests, aud sYhosefertiIe summitS
dIspIayag oldentharvesrii How dsiigftRuhto coi-
template the rising niIss, they aRcuItaiu The
couch OF nature and. unyeh ilfet freshness of her
beauty = And how the rapid movement or he Srs-
SCI, as ttsasting qlefoans Hood She csayss, it's
crystal wateEs, setvess while IL bTingsmew,seents
to VIEW 10 'exiilerate heiSprits nF ftt the eart
NTH q vivid consciousness Of life! 'sSiAf 7
Ssuch also, is the delight of youth Wien enter
mgaponi fe.,s Everything seems fitted oadminIs =
ter pleasures. The heayens Dazzle with theirgor, II
Tue earl encharts with, its beauty, DEWEY morn
nd otaea eve; the syery orbs That gise light by
night; tue grateful beams lsys,tay thesgeFAe
breez and the thousand charms or form, AND co.,
10y, and CONTRAST That every vile re meet the view,
eTeate IN tle heatt. an unspeakable Joy. It'll
how keen zest he paftdktS OF tbe. new burn
pleasures of iiie How Dil.antthc crowd OF i'm
ages which rpshupun the,sensesi How exlnlera-
ing the consciousness Of that very movement
which hufres HIM along the eSer-fowihg .sttean
set lImei y. Jt7,s.a, "a l'ai ,'Iaet,s ,s,aaI,ssi
For, aSsin the vessel, so underworld upon,which
he has entered. He feels Himself borne along by
rItiathiat ry of Tremendous power over Which lie !
has conlroiss incessahty he issc6rried onwares
the SnsRes of lile--tle friends of child
hood, have disappeaied 10 The distance. "A new
Lhcrison is, cols nntly revealed to him, 5nd pew
irospeets ,attract his at,eatipn. He eantat stay
the course OF lime, nor pause To sport upon the
flower meads whose beau'y charins his eye. He
1e7ts that he has been con,nlled tota mighty fab
rc, froai W ltich iecan iofiger reach athe shore,
andlT reg lated hands,
No, "A. =
mature are spread before him. Alfihings necessa
~ 10 comfort apd sphsist ence ore around him, and
how often he seems 10 have entered the yessel,@to
eat, and driuk,.antrepose, lille fes is burneun-
ressttingly TO his appointed hayen!.
When an individuasfrSt enters thecfowtled So
loon of the boat, Eiie Selects the ittle apartment
which he is TO call his own for the blef period Of
hisEeyage, and pre- Parrs 10 accommodate himself
TO lis position and to observe what passing pii
around him. The feeling of Loneliness at first ex-
.rerienced, from the CONSCIOUSNESS of being a
stranger in the midst ofaan unknown crowd, soon
begins to give place toaa sense of companionslip
and aSSoeiation. He feels thata1l ha. e common
interessIn the successful progiesssof the vessel,
and i'll oprcmoting the coinlolr and happiness or
each Other .showeyeE is tile reserve or tim
ldity of some, and such is theiblinl selfshness of
others, tlatuRess he possesses peculiar powers of
observations as well as OF attraction, lie hds 1t at
firstd fic,lt to form suitable acqpaintances., Shy
OF each Other ieacn one etcesthe. conduct,sand
endeapors 10 explore the character OF there st u-
sti, at length, parties here nd there begin to coin
verse with encll other, and form little social cir
Giles, which, gradually enarging,i begin touch,
and thento }nvolve CHI other. nsfinaliy 10 es-
tdUlis Intimate aud agi eeabfe relations with some
and certain degree Of friendly intercourse with
all, Itis ofteu'the case, ihoWevers that great
part Of the voyage is over before such stale or
things IS attaiisd, and perhaps IN the iyeryllast
hour of his stay, ourfyoyoger forms an acquant-
ance with one.of a mind and tastes socongenialto
his own, that he has occasional seriously to,regfet
The Dack@atdness or inadvertence which lad pre-
ventediahle hrlier in troducto ~ oFfi9
:, And here may be permitted to remark, that it
shas,otten been a matter ofasorrbwfnl reflection
with me, that the, time spent by passengers; On
board on Dur western steamers, Is, for the most
part, so unprotabI,s employed, and that olmetl-